US2022771A - Refrigerating apparatus - Google Patents

Description

2 sheets-Sheet 1 A J. R. KlLLEN Filed Oct. 15, 1951 REFRIGERATING APPARATUS '.ll I

Dec; 3,1935. J. R. KILLEN REFRIGERATING APPARATUS 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed GG+;. v 15, 1931 Patented Dec. 3, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Application October 13, 1931, Serial No. 568,636

12 claims. (ci. 6ft- 4) This invention relates to refrigerating apparatus. More particularly it relates to an apparatus for cooling liquids, such as drinking water, carbonated water, etc., and has among Aits principal objects the increase of the cooling capacity of the apparatus and also the prevention of damage to the apparatus if the liquid being cooled should be accidentally frozen.

Heretofore it has been customary to cool water for drinking purposes or the like by thermally contacting the conduit or container for the water with a volatile refrigerant in order to extract the heat from the water. The volatile refrigerant is generally removed, re-liqueed and returned by means of an intermittently operating liquefying unit. In this type of system a suffcient quantity of refrigerant is generally used to provide a certain amount of refrigeration holdover capacity, and it has been customary to provide an automatic control for the liquefying unit which starts the unit after the hold-over capacity has been exhausted by the flow and heat brought in by the liquid which is being cooled. This lapse of time between the time when water is iirst withdrawn and the time when the liquefying unit starts operating reduces the capacity of the apparatus because the liquefying unit is idle just at the time when liquid is first being Withdrawn and when it should be supplying maximum capacity. This invention increases the capacity of the apparatus by providing means for starting the liquefying unit at substantially the same time when water is first Withdrawn from the apparatus.

Heretofore also, if a water cooling apparatus of the mechanically operated type accidentally froze the water coil or container and the water coil burst, generally therewould follow a mixture of the water and the refrigerant, which would be circulated through the refrigerating machinery with a consequent damage to it. This invention removes this danger by insuring that water cannot enter the refrigeration machinery under such circumstances.

Further objects and advantages of the present `invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a. preferred form of the 50 present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 shows diagrammatically one embodiment of this invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-section of a portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal cross-section taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and i Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross-section of a valve which may be used in this apparatus.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows the in- 5 vention as it may be applied to the type 'of soda fountain now ordinarily in use and which is shown in dotted lines and indicated by the numeral I0. This type of soda fountain is generally provided with an ice cream compartment II and a water 10 cooling compartment I2. Under normal conditions refrigeration is provided for both of these compartments from a single refrigerant liquefying unit, designated I3, which liquefies refrigerant, supplying it through line I4 tothe evap- 15 orators in the compartments I I and I2 and withdrawing the evaporated refrigerant through the line I5 for re-liqueiication. Thus the invention is shown as applied where refrigeration is supplied, not only to the Water, but also to ice 20 cream containers or the like; but it is to be understood that many features of this invention may be embodied in an apparatus in which only one or more liquids such as water are to be refrigerated. 25 The embodiment of the invention as here shown may be used for cooling not only uncharged water, such as comes from the city mains, but also carbonated Water. To this end water from the city mains may be supplied to the apparatus by 30 the pipe I6 and carbonated watermay be supplied by the pipe I'I. 'Ihe carbonated Water passing through the pipe Il enters a chamber or evaporator I8 through thesection I9 and then passes through the conduit or container 20 in 35 thermal contact with the refrigerant in the evaporator I8 and is discharged through the pipe 2| and the faucet 22. Likewise the untreated oruncarbonated city water which passes through the pipe I6 enters the evaporator i8 through the 40 section 23 and passes through the conduit or container 24 in thermal contact-with the refrigerant in the evaporator i8 and is discharged through the pipe 25 which leads to the faucet 26.

The refrigerant in the evaporator I8 after it 45 is vaporized may be withdrawn directly to the refrigerant liquefying unit, but, in order to` prevent damage to the refrigeration machinery in case of accidental freezing, it is preferred to provide, in thermal Contact with the evaporator I8, a second evaporator 2l which isy connected directly with the refrigerant liquefying machinery or unit l The refrigerant 28 in the evaporator I3 which stands as a body of liquid to the level indicate;v is vaporized by the heat of either u or both the conduits and 24, is then condensed on the surface of the second evaporator 2:1 and drips back to the body of liquid. The liquid refrigerant in the second evaporator 21 is in turn vaporized by the heat obtained by condensing the refrigerant of the rst evaporator I8 and the vapors from the evaporator 21 are carried through the pipe I5 -to the unit I3. evaporator I8 acts as a heat absorbing means for the conduits 20 and 24. The evaporator 21 acts as a heat absorbing means for the evaporator I8, and the unit I3 acts as a heat absorbing means directly for the evaporator 21 and indirectly for the evaporator I8.

The absorption of heat from the evaporator I8, which contains the conduits 20 and 24, is

. made automatically responsive to the ow of water entering 'either of the conduits. is accomplished by providing a thermostatic bulb 30 responsive to the flow of liquid entering the ' conduits 20 or 24 since it is in thermal contact with the sections or inlets I9 or 23 to said conduits. The bulb 30 governs the valve 3|, which is preferably on the outlet of the evaporator 21 and thus governs the operation of the ow of refrigerant through, or absorption of heat from, the evaporator 21 directly, and of the evaporator` I8 indirectly. The valve 3| is so arranged that when the bulb 30 is warmed by the flow of water passing through the sections I9v or 23, the conduit I5 is open for the withdrawal of refrigerant from the evaporator 21, and when the temperature of the bulb 30 drops' below a predetermined value then the valve 3| is closed and withdrawal or flow of refrigerant from the evaporator 21 is prevented.

In its more specific embodiment, the refrigerant liquefying unit I3 may be of the compressor-condenser type and may comprise a compressor 32 delivering refrigerant to a condenser 33 from whence liquid refrigerant is collected in the re- 'suitable control may be provided for starting and stopping the compressor 32 which is responsive to the refrigeration demands of the evaporator 21 and the evaporator I8. Thus the bellows 48 may operate a snap switch 4I which starts and stops the motor 42 which drives the compressor 32. The bellows 40 may be so calibrated thkat it starts the compressor 32 when the pressure in the line I5 rises above a predetermined value and stops the compressor when the pressure in the line i5 drops below a predetermined value.

The operation of the liquid cooling portion of the apparatus sho n in Fig. i is as follows: 1f liquid is withdraw' for example, from the faucet 23, the ow of relatively warm liquid through Y the section entering the conduit 2d warms the bulb 38, which in turn opens the valve 3l and places the evaporator it iin communication with the intake of the compressor 32. The liquid refrigerant in evaporator i8, being warmed by Thus the the flow of liquid through the conduit 24, vaporizes in part and condenses on the evaporator 21. The heat thus imparted to the evaporator 21 evaporates its refrigerant which in turn enters the conduit I5 whenr the valve 3| is opened ore- 5 ates a pressure sufcient to operate the switch 4| and start the motor 42. The compressor 32 then withdraws refrigerant from the evaporator 21 as long as the thermal conditions require it. The bulb 30 is in thermal contact not only with 10 the sections I9 and 23 but also with the body of liquid refrigerant in the evaporator I8. When the withdrawal of water from the faucet 26 has stopped, the temperature of the liquid refrigerant in the evaporator I8 gradually drops. When the 15 temperature in the evaporator I8 falls below a predetermined value the thermostat bulb 30 closes the valve 3| and the compressor 32 quickly pulls the pressure in line I5 down below the value necessary to stop the motor 42, when other re- 20 frigeration demands are placed on the compressor 32, such as by the evaporator 43, which is also connected to lines I4 and I5, then the operation of the compressor is dependent not only on the refrigeration demands of the water cooling 25 means, but also of the ice cream cabinet. However, the operation is such that the absorption of heat from the evaporator I8 is always dependent on the thermal condition of the bulb 30.

In this particular imtallation the bellows 40 is 30 so calibrated that it maintains the temperature 0f the evaporator 43 sumciently cold to preserve ice cream. The evaporator 43 may be of the type in which the refrigerant inlet is provided with a float controlled valve responsive to the 35 level of the refrigerant in the evaporator and is Yof the type now well-known in the refrigeration art. The automatic valve 35 is so adjusted that it feeds liquid refrigerant into the evaporator 21 at a much higher pressure than is normally main- 0 tained in the evaporator 43. When the valve 3| is opened by the bulb 30 the pressure in the evaporator 21 raises the pressure in the line I5 far above the starting pressure of the bellows 40.

Thus any refrigeration demand made on the evap- 5- orator I8 immediately starts the compressor 32 and if the compressor is not connected to some other evaporator, the control immediately stops the compressor when there is no further refrigeration demands. This always occurs where a wa- 50 ter cooling apparatus of this character is the only load placed on the compressor, but where other refrigeration' loads are also placed on the compressor, as in thisA particular installation, the compressor may continue to operate for a sui- 55 cient length of timeafter the demands in evaporator I8 have ceased to meet the refrigeration demands of the evaporator 43. Preferably the apparatus is so designed that the refrigerant 28 is maintained at a temperature of'37 F. and the 60 refrigerant in the evaporator 21 is maintained at 22 F. The conduits or containers 20 and 24 may be of a sufficient length as to assure a proper withdrawal of heat from thel liquid passing through them.' Merely as an example, the con- 65 duit titi may be made 20 ft. long and may be internal diameter while the conduit 24 may be 30 ft. long and may be 0.3" internal diameter but these dimensions may be varied to meet varying conditions.

Other features of the apparatus, shown in the drawings are as follows: The evaporator I8 is provided, preferably at its upper part, with cou plings 5@ to which the sections i9, 23, the outlets of the conduits 28 and it and. the inlets 75 and outlets of the evaporator 2'I 'are connected respectively.` The proper connection to these couplings 50 with the remainder of the system may be made outside of the evaporator I8. The

evaporator I8 may include a cylindrical portion 5l to which are welded concave end portions 52 and 53 respectively. Suitable pedestals 54 may be welded to the cylindrical portion 5I. A tube 55 1s inserted through and welded to the top 53 and extends into the evaporator I8. The thermostatic bulb 30 is inserted in the tube 55 and is in. thermal contact with the sections I9 and 23 and the liquid 28 through the medium of the tube 55. The valve 3| may be of any suitable construction, but, merely as an example, it includes a casing 56 having a valve seat 51 which receives the closing member 58 which in turn includes the stern 59. Pressure imparted from the bulb 30 through the tube 60 operates to depress the bellows 6I which in turn operates a plunger 62 operating on the second bellows 63. A spring 64 closes the member 58 against the pressure in the tube 68. The evaporator 21 is connected at coupling 65 and the line I5 is connected at the coupling 56.

The refrigerant 28 preferably a volatile liquid which does not form a highly corrosive compound in the presence of water. Such a liquid may be one or more of the haluoro derivatives of methane, such as CClzFz. The refrigerant used in the evaporator 2'! and unit I3 can be, though not necessarily so, of the type which does form a' corrosive compound in the presence of water, such as SO2. By such an arrangement no damage will be caused by the bursting of the conduits 20 or 28 insofar as corrosion is concerned either to the refrigeration system or to the Water system.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

l. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a conduit for liquid to be cooled, an evaporator containing liquid refrigerant in thermal contact with y said conduit, heat absorbing means for removing heat from said evaporator, an automatic control responsive to change in conditions created by the flow of liquid to be cooled entering said conduit in advance of the rise in temperature of said liquid refrigerant for governing the operation of said heat absorbing means.

2. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a conduit for liquid to be cooled, an evaporator containing liquid refrigerant in thermal contact with said conduit, heat absorbing means for removing heat from said evaporator, a thermostat responsive to the temperature of the liquid to be'cocled entering said conduit in advance of the rise in tem--V perature of said liquid refrigerant for governing the operation of said heat absorbing means.

3. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a conduit for liquid to be cooled, an evaporator containing liquid refrigerant in thermal contact with said conduit, heat absorbing means for removing heat from said evaporator, an automatic control responsive to change in conditions created by the fiow of liquid to be cooled entering said conduit in advance of the rise in temperature of said liquid refrigerant and also to the temperature of said liquid refrigerant for governing the opera- .tion of said heat absorbing means.

4. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a con- 'duit for liquid to be cooled, an evaporator containing liquid refrigerant in thermal contact Awith said conduit, heat absorbing means for removing heat from said evaporator, a thermostat responsive to the temperature of the liquid to be cooled 5 entering said conduit in advance of the rise in temperature of said liquid refrigerant and also to the temperature of said liquid refrigerant for governing the operation of said heat absorbing Y means. l0

5. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a conduit for liquid to be cooled, an evaporator containing liquid refrigerant in thermal contact with said conduit, heat absorbing means for removing i heat from said evaporator, said heat absorbing means including a second refrigerant evaporator in thermal contact with a vapor space in said first named evaporator, a valve for controlling the flow of refrigerant in said second refrigerant evaporator, and means responsive to change'in 20 conditions created by the ow of liquid to be cooled entering said conduit for controlling said valve. f

6. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a container for liquid to be cooled, an evaporator in 25 thermal contact with said container, means for x circulating refrigerant in said evaporator and an automatic control responsive to change in conditions created by the flow of liquid entering said container in advanceof the rise in temperature of t the refrigerant in said evaporator for controlling the fiow of refrigerant in said evaporator.

7 A refrigerating apparatus comprising a container for liquid to be cooled, an evaporator in thermal contact with said container, means for 35 withdrawing gaseous refrigerant from said evaporator, liquefying said refrigerant and returning liquid refrigerant to said evaporator, and a control for said means responsive to change in conditions created by the flow of liquid into said con- 40 tainer in advance of the rise in temperature ofV the refrigerant in said evaporator.

8. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a container for liquid to be cooled, an evaporator in thermal contact with said container, means for withdrawing gaseous refrigerant from said evaporator, liquefying said refrigerant and returning liquid refrigerant to said evaporator, and a control for said means responsive both to the temperature of liquid into said container in ladvance of the rise in temperature of the refrigerant in said evaporator and to thetemperature of the lrefrigerant in said evaporator.

9. A refrigerating apparatus comprising an object to be cooled, a first evaporator containing liquid refrigerant in thermal contact with said object to be cooled, a second evaporator sealed from refrigerant iiow from said first evaporator and in thermal contact with a vapor space in said first evaporator, a valve for controlling the flow of refrigerant in said second evaporator, and means responsive to the temperature of said object to be cooled for controlling said valve.

10. A refrigerating apparatus comprising an object to be cooled, a first evaporator containing liquid refrigerant in thermal contact with said object to be cooled, a second evaporator sealed from refrigerant ow from said first evaporator and in thermal contact with a vapor space in said first evaporator, a valve for controlling the ow of refrigerant from said second evaporator, and means responsive to the temperature of said object to be cooled for controlling said valve.

11. A refrigerating apparatus comprising an object to be cooled, a first evaporator containing -75 liquid refrigerant in thermal contact with said object to be cooled, a second evaporator sealed 'second evaporator, liquefying said evaporated refrigerant and returning it to said second evaporator, a valve for controlling the flow of refrigerant in said second evaporator, and means responsive to the temperature of said object to be cooled for controlling said valve.

12. A refrigerating apparatus comprising an object to be cooled, -a first evaporator containing liquid refrigerant in thermal contact with said object to be cooled, a second evaporator sealed from refrigerant iiow from said rst evaporator and in thermal contact with a vapor space in said first evaporator, a refrigerant liquefying unit withdrawing evaporated refrigerant from said second evaporator, liquefying said evaporated refrigerant and returning it to said second evaporator, and means responsive to the temperature of said object to be cooled for controlling the opera.- tion of said refrigerant liquefying unit.

, JAMES R. ELLEN.

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