US3553971A - Refrigeration of mobile containers - Google Patents

Refrigeration of mobile containers Download PDF

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Publication number
US3553971A
US3553971A US784303A US3553971DA US3553971A US 3553971 A US3553971 A US 3553971A US 784303 A US784303 A US 784303A US 3553971D A US3553971D A US 3553971DA US 3553971 A US3553971 A US 3553971A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
container
air
cold air
vortex
vortex tube
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US784303A
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English (en)
Inventor
Terence Fursdon Crang
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
VORTAIR ENGINEERING Ltd
Original Assignee
VORTAIR ENGINEERING Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by VORTAIR ENGINEERING Ltd filed Critical VORTAIR ENGINEERING Ltd
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3553971A publication Critical patent/US3553971A/en
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Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D88/00—Large containers
    • B65D88/74—Large containers having means for heating, cooling, aerating or other conditioning of contents
    • B65D88/745—Large containers having means for heating, cooling, aerating or other conditioning of contents blowing or injecting heating, cooling or other conditioning fluid inside the container
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25B—REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS
    • F25B9/00—Compression machines, plants or systems, in which the refrigerant is air or other gas of low boiling point
    • F25B9/02—Compression machines, plants or systems, in which the refrigerant is air or other gas of low boiling point using Joule-Thompson effect; using vortex effect
    • F25B9/04—Compression machines, plants or systems, in which the refrigerant is air or other gas of low boiling point using Joule-Thompson effect; using vortex effect using vortex effect
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F25D11/00—Self-contained movable devices, e.g. domestic refrigerators
    • F25D11/003—Transport containers

Definitions

  • the invention relates to the cooling of mobile heatinsulated containers of the type used for the transport of refrigerated cargo by road, rail or sea.
  • These containers which are usually from 20 to 35 feet long and 8 to 10 feet in breadth andheight and insulated with 4 to 6 inches of heat-insulating material, are packed with frozen produce at the despatch point and are then placed upon specially constructed road vehicles or railway trucks from which they are off-loaded at the destination.
  • the containers may be semi-permanently attached to a road or rail vehicle and loaded and unloaded in situ.
  • eutectic hold-over plates which are hollow plate-like boxes lled with an eutectic freezing solution which is frozen before departure by connecting the eutectic plates to stationary refrigerating machines.
  • the frozen eutectic solution then gradually thaws during the journey by absorbing heat from the container more or less at a constant temperature.
  • eutectic plate systems are only useful for short journeys.
  • the second method of refrigeration is by means of a portable refrigerating machine mounted on the container or on its chassis or on the carrying vehicle. This is the system most Widely used for longer journeys. Experience of operators has shown that the normal vapour compression refrigerating machine suffers from the vibration and rough handling associated with road and rail transport, with consequent high replacement and maintenance costs. To provide electrical power for the vapour compression refrigerating machine, it is necessary to carry on the vehicle or chassis an -engine driven generator, the engine usually being a separate auxiliary unit.
  • the present invention is based on an appreciation of the possibility of substituting for the somewhat unreliable vapour compression refrigerating machinery at present used for cooling transport containers, a simple, reliable and maintenance-free system of refrigerating the containers 'with cold air produced by cold air generators of the vortex tube type.
  • the vortex tube is a known means of producing cold air and also hotl air from inlet air at ambient temperature.
  • the vortex tube consists basically of a circular chamber into which pressurised air is introduced by means of tan- 3,553,971 Patented Jan. 12, 1971 gential nozzles to form a high energy vortex.
  • cold air is found at the centre of the vortex and hot air at the outside.
  • suitable orifices cold air is bled-off through a tube at one side of the vortex chamber and hot air through a tube on the other side.
  • a pressure of 100 p.s.i. for example it is possible to obtain temperatures below 32 F. from the cold outlet and temperatures of albove 200 F. from the hot outlet.
  • the cold air outlet of a vortex tube or each of the cold air outlets of a plurality of vortex tubes is connected to the interior of an insulated container of the type being considered and the tube or tubes are fed with air under pressure from a compressor driven by an engine mounted on the container or chassis, it will be possible to displace the relatively warm air initially in the container by cold air from the vortex tube or tubes.
  • the hot air from the other outlet of the vortex tube Will be rejected to atmosphere or can be utilised for some other purpose, as for example heating the cab of a road vehicle carrying the container.
  • Means must also be provided for venting the warmer air displaced from the container and preventing any pressurisation of the container except for an extremely slight one as described fbelow.
  • a transportable cargo-refrigerating apparatus comprising a heat-insulated container having an apertured cargo-supporting floor mounted therein in closely spaced relationship above its base; at least one vortex tube having an inlet for compressed air, a hot air outlet arranged to discharge hot air outside the container and a cold air outlet connected to cold delivery means arranged to distribute the cold air received from the vortex tube throughout the space between the apertured iloor and the base of the container; and at least one outlet vent in the top of the container for the discharge therefrom of air displaced by the cold air entering the container through the said cold air delivery means.
  • the apertured cargo-supporting iioor may be composed of slats or a grid and be located between 4 and 6 inches above the interior surface of the base of the container.
  • the outlet vent or each of the outlet vents may be provided with a goose-necked vent pipe or with a cowl and may have a diameter of l to 6 inches, depending on the size of the container.
  • a motor e.g. a diesel engine or other internal combustion engine, which is mounted either on the container or on the vehicle or chassis carrying the container, may be arranged to drive a compressor to produce air under pressure.
  • the compressed air supplied by the compressor may then be passed through a heat exchanger which may be of the tubular extended-surface type, in which the compressed air is cooled by the flow of atmospheric air through the heat exchanger due to the motion of the vehicle.
  • the heat exchanger is preferably therefore attached to the outside of the container or to the chassis or vehicle in such a position as to take maximum advantage of the atmospheric air ow caused by the vehicles motion.
  • the compressed air may be fed into one or more vortex tubes, the cold end or ends of which discharge cold air into the space between the inner skin of the container and the slatted floor or grid on which the cargo stands.
  • the vortex tubes if there is more than one, are fitted to the container so as to obtain the most even distribution of cold air over the bottom of the inside of the container that is possible.
  • the cold air will gradually build up from the bottom of the container, being more dense than the air already in the container which will be displaced through the vent or vents in the roof until the container is completely full of cold air.
  • the cold discharge pipes of the vortex tubes may be fed into distribution ducts having holes or slots distributed over their length.
  • the temperature of the air leaving the tubes will be equal to or less than the temperature at which it is desired to keep the contents of the container.
  • a thermostat situated in a suitable position in the container may be arranged to operate to shut off or reduce the compressed air supply to the vortex tubes.
  • this thermostat will be of the mechanical expansion type, not requiring the supply of electricity.
  • This thermostat acting through a mechanical or pneumatic linkage may either reduce the engine and compressor speed to. idling or by-pass the compressor or act in some other appropriate way to cut oi the supply of air to the vortex tube or tubes or to reduce it.
  • the cold air When the thermostat operates in the manner just described, the cold air will have iilled the container completely and the top level of the cold air will stand at the top of the bend of the goose-necked vent or cowl, which will prevent warm air from finding its way back from atmosphere into the container and at the same time will exclude rain or moisture.
  • the pressure in the container may be kept just above the atmospheric to an extent of a small fraction of an inch of water gauge pressure by keeping a small yflow into the container from the vortex tubes at all times, this slight positive pressure acting to seal the door of the container and to prevent any warm air entering, although this is not essential.
  • the hot ends of the vortex tubes 7 are vented to atmosphere through outlet pipes 7.
  • by-pass pipes 9 fitted with valves 10 are also connected between the hot air outlet pipes 7 and the cold ends of the vortex tubes 7, for temporarily diverting hot air back to the ducts 8 for defrosting purposes.
  • thermocouple 12 fitted within the container 1 is connected by a linkage 13 to the motor 3 driving the compressor 4.
  • This linkage 13 which may be a mechanical linkage is so arranged that, when the temperature within the container 1 is reduced below a predetermined value, the compressor Will be stopped or driven at a reduced speed and, when the temperature is subsequently raised above this predetermined value, the compressor will be restarted or driven once more at its normal speed.
  • the thermocouple has adjustable control means for varying the temperature at which it is set to suit cargoes requiring dierent storage temperatures.
  • the compressed air required to operate the vortex tubes may be obtained, already cooled, from the ships compressed air ring main.
  • the pipes 6 may have their inlet ends connected through a shut-off valve (not shown) to a quick coupling connection suitable for coupling to the said ring main.
  • additional distribution ducts may be provided in the bottom space under the slatted floor or grid 2, which additional distribution ducts are arranged to be supplied with hot air from the hot air outlet pipes of vortex tubes.
  • the latter may be the vortex tubes 7, in which case changeover valves (not shOwn) are needed to disconnect their cold ends from the cold air distribution ducts 8, while simultaneously connecting their hot ends to the additional distribution ducts.
  • additional vortex tubes may be provided for the supply of hot air to the additional distribution ducts, in which case a changeover valve may be provided for connecting the air supply from the heat-exchanger 5 to the vortex tubes that are in use and disconnecting them from the vortex tubes that are not in use.
  • a transportable cargo-refrigerating apparatus adapted to be carried on and transported by a vehicle, comprising a heat-insulated container means defining an enclosed cargo storage chamber therein, said container means having a. base and additionally having an apertured cargo-supporting floor disposed closely adjacent to but spaced slightly upwardly from said base for dening a small space therebetween, motor means positioned externally of said container means, air compressor means positioned externally of said container means and driven by said motor means, a vortex tube disposed adjacent the container means and means connecting the discharge outlet of the compressor means to the inlet of the vortex tube for supplying pressurized air thereto, said lastmentioned means including a heat exchanger disposed eX- ternally of said container means, said vortex tube including a hot air outlet for discharging hot air externally of said container means, said vortex tube further including a cold air outlet arranged for discharging cold air into the cargo chamber for cooling the cargo stored therein, cold air delivery means connected to the cold air outlet of said vortex tube for distributing

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Devices That Are Associated With Refrigeration Equipment (AREA)
US784303A 1967-12-19 1968-12-17 Refrigeration of mobile containers Expired - Lifetime US3553971A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB57602/67A GB1182660A (en) 1967-12-19 1967-12-19 Improvements in and relating to the refrigeration of mobile containers

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3553971A true US3553971A (en) 1971-01-12

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ID=10479571

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US784303A Expired - Lifetime US3553971A (en) 1967-12-19 1968-12-17 Refrigeration of mobile containers

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (1) US3553971A (de)
CH (1) CH483347A (de)
DE (1) DE1815578A1 (de)
FR (1) FR1595410A (de)
GB (1) GB1182660A (de)

Cited By (15)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3630040A (en) * 1970-06-12 1971-12-28 Fred A Goldfarb Air conditioner
JPS5527273B1 (de) * 1971-07-09 1980-07-19
US4378681A (en) * 1981-09-08 1983-04-05 Modisette, Inc. Refrigeration system
WO1992020977A3 (de) * 1991-05-16 1993-02-18 Lermer Gmbh Kühlvorrichtung
US6507125B1 (en) * 1999-06-11 2003-01-14 Young Mi Choi High efficiency energy converting apparatus and method thereof
FR2844871A1 (fr) * 2002-09-23 2004-03-26 Denis Consigny Meubles frigorifiques de vente comportant des moyens de degivrage et/ou de rechauffement des allees
RU2259931C1 (ru) * 2004-02-09 2005-09-10 Открытое акционерное общество "Всероссийский научно-исследовательский и проектно-конструкторский институт электровозостроения" Транспортная компрессорная установка
WO2006016847A1 (en) * 2004-08-12 2006-02-16 Peter Blomkvist Heat pump
CN102305488A (zh) * 2011-07-08 2012-01-04 浙江大学 一种基于涡流管的太阳能热管车载热泵型空调系统
EP2505516A1 (de) * 2011-03-30 2012-10-03 Stephen D. Podd Dampfdispersonssystem für Frachtcontainer, Frachtsystem und Verfahren zur Beladung von Flüssigkeiten in einem Behälter damit
WO2017156092A1 (en) * 2016-03-11 2017-09-14 Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Apparatuses and methods for providing transportation container temperature control
WO2017156217A1 (en) * 2016-03-10 2017-09-14 Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Apparatuses and methods for providing temperature controlled portable container
RU185107U1 (ru) * 2018-01-29 2018-11-21 федеральное государственное автономное образовательное учреждение высшего образования "Самарский национальный исследовательский университет имени академика С.П. Королева" Криогенная энергетическая установка для охлаждения автомобильной камеры рефрижератора
CN113983728A (zh) * 2021-10-18 2022-01-28 珠海格力电器股份有限公司 蒸发器的化霜方法、装置、设备和温度调节系统
CN115420048A (zh) * 2022-07-26 2022-12-02 浙江万里学院 一种公路和铁路通用型冷链冷藏装置

Families Citing this family (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE19610071A1 (de) * 1996-03-14 1997-09-18 Jost Peter Belüftbarer Behälter zum Aufbewahren von Kleidungsstücken, Schuhen etc.
RU2402437C1 (ru) * 2009-12-08 2010-10-27 Николай Владимирович Мурашев Мобильный лечебно-диагностический модуль
ES2510090B1 (es) * 2013-04-17 2015-12-15 Loramendi, S.Coop. Dispositivo de acondicionamiento de material granular contenido en un silo y silo que incorpora dicho dispositivo
CN107036392A (zh) * 2017-04-26 2017-08-11 刘光辰 带涡流管的运载工具及发电方法
CN109533672B (zh) * 2018-12-18 2020-02-14 宏观世纪（天津）科技股份有限公司 可循环使用的包装箱
US11378309B2 (en) * 2019-10-08 2022-07-05 B/E Aerospace, Inc. Multi-stage vortex tube assembly for low pressure and low flow applications
CN113188290A (zh) * 2021-05-11 2021-07-30 向本松 一种冷热两用集成式集装箱

Cited By (23)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3630040A (en) * 1970-06-12 1971-12-28 Fred A Goldfarb Air conditioner
JPS5527273B1 (de) * 1971-07-09 1980-07-19
US4378681A (en) * 1981-09-08 1983-04-05 Modisette, Inc. Refrigeration system
WO1992020977A3 (de) * 1991-05-16 1993-02-18 Lermer Gmbh Kühlvorrichtung
US6507125B1 (en) * 1999-06-11 2003-01-14 Young Mi Choi High efficiency energy converting apparatus and method thereof
FR2844871A1 (fr) * 2002-09-23 2004-03-26 Denis Consigny Meubles frigorifiques de vente comportant des moyens de degivrage et/ou de rechauffement des allees
RU2259931C1 (ru) * 2004-02-09 2005-09-10 Открытое акционерное общество "Всероссийский научно-исследовательский и проектно-конструкторский институт электровозостроения" Транспортная компрессорная установка
WO2006016847A1 (en) * 2004-08-12 2006-02-16 Peter Blomkvist Heat pump
JP2008510121A (ja) * 2004-08-12 2008-04-03 ブロムクビスト、ペーター ヒートポンプ
US20080115507A1 (en) * 2004-08-12 2008-05-22 Peter Blomkvist Heat Pump
US20120247067A1 (en) * 2011-03-30 2012-10-04 Podd Stephen D Steam dispersion system for cargo containers
EP2505516A1 (de) * 2011-03-30 2012-10-03 Stephen D. Podd Dampfdispersonssystem für Frachtcontainer, Frachtsystem und Verfahren zur Beladung von Flüssigkeiten in einem Behälter damit
CN102305488A (zh) * 2011-07-08 2012-01-04 浙江大学 一种基于涡流管的太阳能热管车载热泵型空调系统
WO2017156217A1 (en) * 2016-03-10 2017-09-14 Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Apparatuses and methods for providing temperature controlled portable container
GB2563778A (en) * 2016-03-10 2018-12-26 Walmart Apollo Llc Apparatuses and methods for providing temperature controlled portable container
US10488081B2 (en) 2016-03-10 2019-11-26 Walmart Apollo, Llc Apparatuses and methods for providing temperature controlled portable container
GB2563778B (en) * 2016-03-10 2021-02-10 Walmart Apollo Llc Apparatuses and methods for providing temperature controlled portable container
WO2017156092A1 (en) * 2016-03-11 2017-09-14 Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Apparatuses and methods for providing transportation container temperature control
GB2563539A (en) * 2016-03-11 2018-12-19 Walmart Apollo Llc Apparatuses and methods for providing transportation container temerature control
GB2563539B (en) * 2016-03-11 2021-08-11 Walmart Apollo Llc Apparatuses and methods for providing transportation container temperature control
RU185107U1 (ru) * 2018-01-29 2018-11-21 федеральное государственное автономное образовательное учреждение высшего образования "Самарский национальный исследовательский университет имени академика С.П. Королева" Криогенная энергетическая установка для охлаждения автомобильной камеры рефрижератора
CN113983728A (zh) * 2021-10-18 2022-01-28 珠海格力电器股份有限公司 蒸发器的化霜方法、装置、设备和温度调节系统
CN115420048A (zh) * 2022-07-26 2022-12-02 浙江万里学院 一种公路和铁路通用型冷链冷藏装置

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR1595410A (de) 1970-06-08
GB1182660A (en) 1970-03-04
CH483347A (de) 1969-12-31
DE1815578A1 (de) 1969-08-07

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