Higher efficiency appliance employing thermal load shifting in refrigerators having horizontal mullion
IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0279386
(2011-10-24)
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등록번호 |
US-8720222
(2014-05-13)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Cur, Nihat
- Kuehl, Steven J.
- Litch, Andrew D.
- Lopes, Luiz Antonio D.
- Wu, Guolian
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
3 인용 특허 :
8 |
초록
▼
An appliance includes a cabinet; a first compartment; and a second compartment. The first compartment and the second compartment are separated by a horizontal mullion. The cabinet also typically includes a coolant system that has: a single compressor for regulating a temperature of the first compart
An appliance includes a cabinet; a first compartment; and a second compartment. The first compartment and the second compartment are separated by a horizontal mullion. The cabinet also typically includes a coolant system that has: a single compressor for regulating a temperature of the first compartment and a temperature of the second compartment operably connected to at least one evaporator; a shared coolant fluid connection system; and a coolant fluid spaced within the shared coolant fluid connection system used to regulate both the temperature of the first compartment and the second compartment. The compressor can provide the shared coolant at at least two different pressures to at least one evaporator using the shared coolant fluid connection circuit. The ratio of the substantially steady state heat gain for the first compartment to the substantially steady state total heat gain for the overall cabinet is about 0.65:1 or greater.
대표청구항
▼
1. An appliance comprising: a cabinet having an internal volume and comprising a first compartment having an internal volume spaced within the cabinet and a second compartment having an internal volume spaced within the cabinet where the first compartment and the second compartment within the cabine
1. An appliance comprising: a cabinet having an internal volume and comprising a first compartment having an internal volume spaced within the cabinet and a second compartment having an internal volume spaced within the cabinet where the first compartment and the second compartment within the cabinet are separated by a horizontal mullion to form the first compartment and the second compartment within the cabinet and wherein each compartment has at least one access door that only accesses that compartment and the overall cabinet has a substantially steady state total heat gain and the first compartment has a first compartment substantially steady state heat gain;a coolant system comprising: a single compressor operably connected to at least one evaporator where the single compressor is the only compressor associated with the appliance for regulating a temperature of the first compartment and a temperature of the second compartment;a shared coolant fluid connection system that interconnects at least the single compressor and at least one evaporator;a coolant fluid spaced within the shared coolant fluid connection system used to regulate both the temperature of the first compartment and the second compartment; andwherein the compressor provides the shared coolant at at least two different pressures to at least one evaporator using the shared coolant fluid connection circuit;wherein the ratio of the substantially steady state heat gain for the first compartment to the substantially steady state total heat gain for the overall cabinet is about 0.65:1 or greater; andwherein the first compartment is at a first temperature and the second compartment is at a second temperature below the first temperature when the appliance is in operation. 2. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the ratio of the internal volume of the second compartment to the internal volume of the cabinet is 0.27:1 or greater and wherein the first compartment is a fresh food compartment at a temperature above freezing and the second compartment is at a temperature below freezing. 3. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the ratio of the internal volume of the second compartment to the internal volume of the cabinet is 0.3:1 or greater. 4. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the ratio of the internal volume of the second compartment to the internal volume of the cabinet is about 0.25:1 or greater. 5. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the ratio of the internal volume of the second compartment to the internal volume of the cabinet is about 0.15:1 or greater. 6. The appliance of claim 5 further comprising a first evaporator associated with the first compartment wherein the first evaporator operates at a first pressure level; and a second evaporator associated with the second compartment wherein the second evaporator operates at a second pressure level, which is a different pressure level than the first pressure level; andwherein the single compressor is operably connected to the first evaporator and the second evaporator and the single compressor is the only compressor associated with the appliance for regulating the temperature of the first compartment and the temperature of the second compartment; andwherein the single compressor and the first and second evaporators form two refrigeration circuits that share coolant and provide a flow of coolant fluid in a non-simultaneous manner to the first and second evaporators such that the two refrigeration circuits provide the first evaporator and the second evaporator with adjustable load capacities. 7. The appliance of claim 6, wherein the single compressor has a single suction port and the flow of coolant is provided in a non-simultaneous manner to the first evaporator and second the second evaporator. 8. The appliance of claim 6, wherein the single compressor has at least two suction ports and the flow of coolant is capable of being provided to the first evaporator and the second evaporator in a manner chosen from the group consisting of: a simultaneous manner, a non-simultaneous manner, and both a simultaneous manner and non-simultaneous manner. 9. The appliance of claim 6 further comprising a thermal storage material engaged with and operably connected to the first evaporator. 10. The appliance of claim 7 further comprising a thermal storage material engaged with and operably connected to the first evaporator. 11. The appliance of claim 8 further comprising a thermal storage material engaged with and operably connected to the first evaporator. 12. The appliance of claim 9, wherein the thermal storage material is a phase changing thermal storage material. 13. The appliance of claim 10, wherein the thermal storage material is a phase changing thermal storage material. 14. The appliance of claim 11, wherein the thermal storage material is a phase changing thermal storage material. 15. The appliance of claim 7 further comprising a thermal storage material in thermal communication with the first compartment and the first evaporator along a coolant flow pathway. 16. The appliance of claim 8, wherein the ratio of the substantially steady state heat gain for the first compartment to the substantially steady state total heat gain for the overall cabinet is 0.69:1 or greater. 17. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the ratio of the substantially steady state heat gain for the first compartment to the substantially steady state total heat gain for the overall cabinet is 0.69:1 or greater. 18. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the ratio of the substantially steady state heat gain for the first compartment to the substantially steady state total heat gain for the overall cabinet is 0.66:1 or greater. 19. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the ratio of the substantially steady state heat gain for the first compartment to the substantially steady state total heat gain for the overall cabinet is 0.69:1 or greater, and wherein the single compressor is a variable capacity compressor. 20. The appliance of claim 19, wherein the single compressor is a linear variable capacity compressor. 21. The appliance of claim 2, wherein the ratio of the substantially steady state heat gain for the first compartment to the substantially steady state total heat gain for the overall cabinet is 0.69:1 or greater, and wherein the single compressor is a linear variable capacity compressor. 22. The appliance of claim 5, wherein the ratio of the substantially steady state heat gain for the first compartment to the substantially steady state total heat gain for the overall cabinet is 0.69:1 or greater, and wherein the single compressor is a variable capacity compressor. 23. The appliance of claim 5, wherein the ratio of the substantially steady state heat gain for the first compartment to the substantially steady state total heat gain for the overall cabinet is 0.66:1 or greater. 24. An appliance comprising: a cabinet having an internal volume and comprising a first compartment having an internal volume spaced within the cabinet and a second compartment having an internal volume spaced within the cabinet where the first compartment and the second compartment within the cabinet are separated by a horizontal mullion to form the first compartment and the second compartment within the cabinet and wherein each compartment has at least one access door that only accesses that compartment and the overall cabinet has a substantially steady state total heat gain and the first compartment has a first compartment substantially steady state heat gain;a coolant system comprising: a single compressor operably connected to at least one evaporator where the single compressor is the only compressor associated with the appliance for regulating a temperature of the first compartment and a temperature of the second compartment;a shared coolant fluid connection system that interconnects at least the single compressor and at least one evaporator;a coolant fluid spaced within the shared coolant fluid connection system used to regulate both the temperature of the first compartment and the second compartment; andwherein the coolant system has at least two modes of operation, a first mode and a second mode, wherein the compressor provides the shared coolant at a first pressure level to at least one evaporator using the shared coolant fluid connection circuit in the first mode and the compressor provides the shared coolant at a second pressure level, which is different than the first pressure level, to at least one evaporator using the shared coolant fluid connection circuit in the second mode;wherein the ratio of the substantially steady state heat gain for the first compartment to the substantially steady state total heat gain for the overall cabinet is about 0.65:1 or greater; andwherein the first compartment is a fresh food compartment at a temperature above freezing and the second compartment is at a temperature below freezing. 25. The appliance of claim 24, wherein the coolant system comprises a first evaporator and a second evaporator and wherein the single compressor comprises a single suction port and the flow of coolant is provided in a non-simultaneous manner to the first evaporator and the second evaporator. 26. The appliance of claim 24, wherein the single compressor has at least two suction ports and the flow of coolant is capable of being provided in a simultaneous manner to the first and second evaporators. 27. A multi-evaporator and single compressor containing appliance comprising: a cabinet having an internal volume and comprising a first compartment having an internal volume spaced within the cabinet and a second compartment having an internal volume spaced within the cabinet where the first compartment and the second compartment are separated by a horizontal mullion to form the first compartment and the second compartment within the cabinet and wherein each compartment has at least one access door that only accesses that compartment and the overall cabinet has a substantially steady state total heat gain and the first compartment has a first compartment substantially steady state heat gain;a first evaporator associated with the first compartment wherein the first evaporator operates at a first pressure level;a second evaporator associated with the second compartment wherein the second evaporator operates at a second pressure level, which is a different pressure level than the first pressure level;a single compressor operably connected to the first evaporator and the second evaporator wherein the single compressor is the only compressor associated with the appliance for regulating the temperature of the first compartment and the temperature of the second compartment;wherein the single compressor and the first and second evaporators form two refrigeration circuits that provide a flow of coolant in a non-simultaneous manner to the first and second evaporators such that the two refrigeration circuits provide the first evaporator and the second evaporator with adjustable load capacities; andwherein the ratio of the substantially steady state heat gain for the first compartment to the substantially steady state total heat gain for the overall cabinet is about 0.65:1 or greater. 28. A method for improving the efficiency of an appliance comprising the steps of: providing an appliance that comprises:a cabinet having an internal volume and comprising a first compartment having an internal volume spaced within the cabinet and a second compartment having an internal volume spaced within the cabinet where the first compartment and the second compartment within the cabinet are separated by a horizontal mullion to form the first compartment and the second compartment within the cabinet and wherein each compartment has at least one access door that only accesses that compartment and the overall cabinet has a substantially steady state total heat gain and the first compartment has a first compartment substantially steady state heat gain;a coolant system comprising: at least one evaporator;a single compressor operably connected to at least one evaporator where the single compressor is the only compressor associated with the appliance for regulating a temperature of the first compartment and a temperature of the second compartment;a shared coolant fluid connection system that interconnects at least the single compressor and the at least one evaporator;a coolant fluid spaced within the shared coolant fluid connection system used to regulate both the temperature of the first compartment and the second compartment; andwherein the compressor provides the shared coolant at at least two different pressures to at least one evaporator using the shared coolant fluid connection circuit; andshifting the overall thermal load of the appliance such that at least about 65% of the total substantially steady state heat gain of the overall cabinet is gained by the first compartment and thereby increasing the overall coefficient of performance. 29. The method of claim 28, wherein the appliance comprises: a first evaporator associated with the first compartment wherein the first evaporator operates at a first pressure level;a second evaporator associated with the second compartment wherein the second evaporator operates at a second pressure level, which is a different pressure level than the first pressure level;wherein the single compressor is operably connected to the first evaporator and the second evaporator such that the two refrigeration circuits provide the first evaporator and the second evaporator with adjustable load capacities and the single compressor is the only compressor associated with the appliance for regulating the temperature of the first compartment and the temperature of the second compartment; andwherein the single compressor and the first and second evaporators form two refrigeration circuits that provide a flow of coolant to the first and second evaporators; and wherein the first compartment is a refrigeration compartment at a temperature above freezing during operation of the appliance. 30. The method of improving the efficiency of an appliance of claim 28, wherein the second compartment is a freezer compartment having walls surrounding the freezer compartment and the first compartment is a refrigeration compartment and wherein the ratio of the internal volume of the second compartment to the internal volume of the cabinet is from about 0.25:1 to 0.37:1 and the step of shifting the overall thermal load of the appliance comprises at least one step chosen from the group consisting of increasing the overall insulating capacity of the walls surrounding the freezer compartment, increasing the internal volume of the refrigeration compartment without increasing the size of the cabinet, and reducing the internal volume of the freezer compartment. 31. The method of improving the efficiency of an appliance of claim 29, wherein the second compartment is a freezer compartment having walls surrounding the freezer compartment and wherein the ratio of the internal volume of the second compartment to the internal volume of the cabinet is from about 0.25:1 to less than 0.37:1 and the step of shifting the overall thermal load of the appliance comprises at least one step chosen from the group consisting of increasing the overall insulating capacity of the walls surrounding the freezer compartment, increasing the internal volume of the refrigeration compartment without increasing the size of the cabinet, and reducing the internal volume of the freezer compartment. 32. The method of improving the efficiency of an appliance of claim 28, wherein a first evaporator functions at a first evaporator pressure providing cooling to the first compartment; and the first evaporator or a second evaporator functioning at a second evaporator pressure to provide cooling to the second compartment, and wherein the first evaporator pressure is higher than the second evaporator pressure.
이 특허에 인용된 특허 (8)
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Cur Nihat O. (Royalton Township ; Berrien County MI) Kuehl Steven J. (Lincoln Township ; Berrien County MI) Khanpara Jatin C. (St. Joseph Township ; Berrien County MI) LeClear Douglas D. (St. Joseph , Dual evaporator refrigerator with non-simultaneous evaporator.
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Cur Nihat O. (Royalton Township ; Berrien County MI) Kuehl Steven J. (Lincoln Township ; Berrien County MI) Sunshine Richard A. (City of Granger IN), Energy efficient insulation system for refrigerator/freezer.
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Roseen Rutger A. (LidingSEX), Insulation for refrigerators and freezers.
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Cur Nihat O. (Royalton Township ; Berrien County MI) Kuehl Steven J. (Lincoln Township ; Berrien County MI) LeClear Douglas D. (St. Joseph Township ; Berrien County MI) Chen Kenneth P. (Benton Harbor, Multi-temperature evaporator refrigerator system with variable speed compressor.
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Quesnoit, Jacques, Refrigeration unit comprising compartments at different temperatures.
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Hamel, Tim A.; Wilson, Mark W.; Rafalovich, Alexander Pinkus; Bandaru, Sathi, Soft freeze assembly for a freezer storage compartment.
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Park Brian V. (Austin TX) Smith ; Jr. Malcolm C. (La Porte TX) McGrath Ralph D. (Granville OH) Gilley Michael D. (Rowlett TX) Criscuolo Lance (Dallas TX) Nelson John L. (Garland TX), Thermoelectric refrigerator.
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Kirby,David; Martinella,Luigi; Giudici,Giorgio, Vacuum insulated refrigerator cabinet and method for assessing thermal conductivity thereof.
이 특허를 인용한 특허 (3)
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Cur, Nihat; Kuehl, Steven J.; Litch, Andrew D.; Lopes, Luiz Antonio D.; Wu, Guolian, Higher efficiency appliance employing thermal load shifting in refrigerators having vertical mullion.
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Gomes, Alberto Regio; Paganini, Raffaele, Multiple evaporator control using PWM valve/compressor.
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Chae, Sunam; Kim, Kyungseok; Kim, Kyeongyun, Refrigerator and method of controlling the same.
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