초록 ▼

A frosting cooler creates and maintains frost on cold products, such as bottles of a beverage stored in the cooler, thereby to provide a visual manifestation of the cold condition of the beverage. The cooler has the ability to deliver moisture to the products within the cooler so that frosting may b

A frosting cooler creates and maintains frost on cold products, such as bottles of a beverage stored in the cooler, thereby to provide a visual manifestation of the cold condition of the beverage. The cooler has the ability to deliver moisture to the products within the cooler so that frosting may be produced in environments where there is low humidity in the ambient air without freezing the liquid contained by the bottle. The cooler is operated to control to protect the frost on the products, once formed. In addition, the cooler is controlled to prevent frost build up on an evaporator and fan of the cooler in the presence of the additional moisture.

대표청구항 ▼

A frosting cooler creates and maintains frost on cold products, such as bottles of a beverage stored in the cooler, thereby to provide a visual manifestation of the cold condition of the beverage. The cooler has the ability to deliver moisture to the products within the cooler so that frosting may b

A frosting cooler creates and maintains frost on cold products, such as bottles of a beverage stored in the cooler, thereby to provide a visual manifestation of the cold condition of the beverage. The cooler has the ability to deliver moisture to the products within the cooler so that frosting may be produced in environments where there is low humidity in the ambient air without freezing the liquid contained by the bottle. The cooler is operated to control to protect the frost on the products, once formed. In addition, the cooler is controlled to prevent frost build up on an evaporator and fan of the cooler in the presence of the additional moisture. he condensers; outlets of the condensers are selectably connectable to an inlet of the expansion device or to the storage tank; and an outlet of the storage tank is selectably connectable to the inlet of the expansion device. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein an outlet of the storage tank is selectably connectable to the inlet of the evaporator. 3. The system of claim 2, further including a compressor outlet valve operable to selectably provide a refrigerant flow path from an outlet of the compressor to an inlet of the separator or from the compressor outlet directly to the condensers. 4. The system of claim 3, further including first and second condenser outlet valves operable to selectably provide refrigerant flow paths from respective outlets of the condensers to inlets of the storage tank, or from the condenser outlets directly to the expansion device. 5. The system of claim 4, further including a first storage tank outlet valve operable to selectably provide a refrigerant flow path from the storage tank to the inlet of expansion device. 6. The system of claim 5, further including a second storage tank outlet valve operable to selectably provide a refrigerant flow path from the storage tank to the inlet of the evaporator. 7. The system of claim 1, further including first and second condenser outlet valves operable to selectably provide refrigerant flow paths from respective outlets of the condensers to inlets of the storage tank, or from the condenser outlets directly to the expansion device. 8. The system of claim 7, further including a first storage tank outlet valve operable to selectably provide a refrigerant flow path from the storage tank to the inlet of expansion device. 9. The system of claim 8, further including a second storage tank outlet valve operable to selectably provide a refrigerant flow path from the storage tank to the inlet of the evaporator. 10. The system of claim 1, further including a first storage tank outlet valve operable to selectably provide a refrigerant flow path from the storage tank to the inlet of expansion device. 11. The system of claim 10, further including a second storage tank outlet valve operable to selectably provide a refrigerant flow path from the storage tank to the inlet of the evaporator. 12. The system of claim 1, wherein the compressor is operated continuously at a constant speed when the system is in use, irrespective of variations in thermal load. 13. the refrigeration system of claim 1, further comprising multiple storage tanks, including a storage tank associated with each condenser, and wherein: an outlet of each condenser is selectably connectable to an inlet of the expansion device or to a respective inlet of the associated second storage tank; and outlets of the storage tanks are selectably connectable to the inlet of the expansion device. 14. The system of claim 13, wherein an outlet of one of the storage tanks is selectably connectable to the inlet of the evaporator. 15. The system of claim 13, further including a plurality of condenser outlet valves operable to selectably provide refrigerant flow paths from respective outlets of the condensers to respective inlets of the associated storage tanks, or from the condenser outlets directly to the inlet of the expansion device. 16. The system of claim 15, further including: a plurality of storage tank outlet valves operable to selectably provide refrigerant flow paths from respective outlets of the storage tanks to the inlet of the expansion device. 17. The system of claim 16, further including an additional storage tank outlet valve operable to selectably provide a refrigerant flow path from an outlet of one of the storage tanks to the inlet of the evaporator. 18. The system of claim 13, further including: a plurality of storage tanks outlet valves operable to selectably provide refrigerant flow paths from respective outlets of the storage tanks to the inlet of the expansion device. 19. The syst em of claim 18, further including an additional storage tank outlet valve operable to selectably provide a refrigerant flow path from an outlet of one of the storage tanks to the inlet of the evaporator. 20. The system of claim 13, wherein the compressor is operated continuously at a constant speed when the system is in use, irrespective of variations in thermal load. 21. The system of claim 13, further comprising: an additional condenser and an associated additional storage tank, the additional condenser and the additional storage tank being operable to selectably provide a refrigerant flow path between an outlet of the separator and the inlet of the evaporator. 22. The system of claim 21, further including an inlet valve connecting the separator and an inlet of the additional condenser; and an outlet valve between an outlet of the additional storage tank and the inlet of the evaporator. 23. The system of claim 13, further comprising: an additional condenser and an associated additional storage tank having an outlet selectably connectable to the inlet of the evaporator, and wherein an outlet of the additional condenser is selectably connectable to provide a refrigerant flow path between an outlet of the additional condenser and the inlet of the evaporator or between the outlet of the additional condenser and an inlet of the additional storage tank. 24. The system of claim 23, further comprising: a compressor outlet valve operable to selectably provide a refrigerant flow path from an outlet of the compressor to an inlet of the separator or from the compressor outlet directly to inlets of all the condensers. 25. The system of claim 23, wherein the compressor is operated continuously at a constant speed when the system is in use, irrespective of variations in thermal load. 26. The system of claim 13, further comprising: a compressor outlet valve operable to selectably provide an refrigerant flow path from an outlet of the compressor to an inlet of the separator or from the compressor outlet directly to all the condensers. 27. A method of operating a refrigeration system of the type which uses a refrigerant mixture including components having different densities; and which is comprised of a compressor, a plurality of condensers, an expansion device, and an evaporator, the compressor, all connectable in a closed path for circulation of refrigerant, a separator constructed to receive a refrigerant mixture at an inlet thereof and to provide components of the refrigerant mixture at respective outlets thereof according to the relative densities of the components, and a storage tank, the method being comprised of the steps of: connecting the compressor, the separator, and the condensers to deliver a selected refrigerant component to the closed path, and to deliver the remaining refrigerant components to the storage tank for a first storage time interval; and after the first storage time interval: preventing delivery of further refrigerant to the storage tank; and circulating the unstored refrigerant through the closed path, the components selected for circulation and storage during the first storage time interval, and the duration of the first storage time interval being selected according to the thermal load. 28. The method of claim 26, wherein, upon a predetermined change in thermal load, the composition of the refrigerant circulating through the second closed flow path is adjusted by the steps of: connecting the compressor, the separator, and the condensers to deliver another selected refrigerant component to the closed path, and to deliver the remaining refrigerant components to the storage tank for a second storage time interval; and after the second storage time interval, preventing delivery of further refrigerant to the storage tank; and circulating the unstored refrigerant through the closed path, the components selected for circulation and storage during the second storage ti