Variable capacity modular refrigeration system for kitchens
A refrigeration appliance system for a residential kitchen having multiple separate refrigerating modules and a single, continuously operating variable capacity central cooling unit with a variable speed compressor for chilling a cooling medium. A cooling medium circuit supplies cooling medium to the plurality of refrigerating modules from the central cooling unit. Flow control devices control flow of cooling medium to the refrigerating modules. A control circuit controls the central cooling unit and the temperature in the refrigerating modules. The refrigerating modules can be refrigerator, freezer or refrigerator freezer modules. The cooling medium can be air, cooling liquid or refrigerant. A below freezing freezer module having an insulated freezer cabinet, a freezer compressor, a freezer condenser and a freezer evaporator can be combined with the refrigeration appliance system for providing 0° F. freezer storage without requiring the central cooling unit to provide 0° F. cooling medium.
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This application is related to patent application docket number US20030364 filed concurrently herewith.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION(1) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to refrigeration appliances for use in residential kitchens and other adjoining rooms in a dwelling.
(2) Description of Related Art
Refrigeration appliances for use in residential kitchens and other rooms in a dwelling unit are known. Modular refrigeration devices such as refrigerator, freezer, ice maker and wine cooler modules for use in residential dwellings are known.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe invention relates to a refrigeration appliance system constructed and arranged for use in a residential kitchen and other rooms in a dwelling a plurality of separate refrigerating modules each having an insulated cabinet, an apparatus for receiving a cooling medium to cool the interior of the refrigerating module, a temperature sensor for sensing the temperature in the module; and a temperature selector for selecting an operating temperature for the insulated refrigerating module.
The refrigeration appliance system also includes a single, continuously operating variable capacity central cooling unit for chilling a cooling medium comprising a variable speed compressor, a condenser, a variable speed condenser fan and a controller, a cooling medium circuit connecting the central cooling unit and the plurality of refrigerating modules to supply cooling medium from the central cooling unit to the plurality of refrigerating modules, and to return cooling medium to the central cooling unit from the refrigerating modules; and a plurality of cooling medium flow control devices connected in the cooling medium circuit for controlling flow of cooling medium to each of the refrigerating modules.
The refrigeration appliance system can have a control circuit to connect the temperature sensors, the temperature selectors and the cooling medium flow control devices for the plurality of refrigerating modules with the controller. The controller can include a first portion to adjust the capacity of the central cooling unit in response to the aggregate cooling load of the plurality of refrigerating modules in order to supply sufficient cooling medium to cool the plurality of refrigerating modules to the respective selected operating temperatures, and a second portion to adjust the volume of cooling medium directed to respective ones of the refrigerating modules to maintain the selected operating temperature in the respective refrigerating modules.
The cooling medium can be air and the cooling medium circuit can be insulated ducts connecting the central cooling unit and the plurality of refrigerating modules for supplying chilled air to the plurality of refrigerating modules and returning air from the refrigerating modules to the central cooling unit.
The apparatus for receiving a cooling medium can be air inlets from the insulated ducts leading to the respective refrigerating modules and air outlets leading from the respective refrigerating modules to the insulated ducts, and the cooling medium flow control devices can be a baffle for each refrigerating module for controlling the flow of chilled air flowing into the refrigerating module through the air inlet.
The central cooling unit can be an evaporator and an expansion device with feedback based on the refrigerating system load connected in a refrigerant circuit with the variable speed compressor and condenser and arranged to chill the cooling medium air to a temperature below the lowest selected refrigerating module operating temperature, and can have at least one evaporator fan to circulate the chilled cooling medium air through the insulated ducts to respective refrigerating modules. The second portion of the controller can be arranged to operate the baffles of the respective refrigerating modules to control the flow of chilled air flowing into the respective refrigerating modules to maintain the respective selected operating temperatures.
In another aspect of the invention the cooling medium can be a liquid coolant and the cooling medium circuit can include insulated conduits leading from the central cooling unit to each of the refrigerating modules for supplying liquid coolant to each of the refrigerating modules and for returning liquid coolant to the central cooling unit.
The apparatus for receiving cooling medium for the respective refrigerating modules can be a heat exchanger in communication with the interior of the insulated cabinet and the cooling medium flow control devices can be a valve for controlling the flow of liquid coolant to the heat exchanger.
The central cooling unit can be a chilled liquid evaporator and an expansion device with feedback based on the refrigerating system load connected in a refrigerant circuit with the variable speed compressor and condenser and arranged to chill the liquid coolant to a temperature below the lowest selected refrigerating module operating temperature, and can have a pump arranged to circulate the liquid coolant to the respective refrigerating modules. The second portion of the controller can be arranged to operate the valves to control the flow of chilled liquid coolant through the respective refrigerating module heat exchangers to maintain the respective selected operating temperatures.
In an other aspect of the invention the cooling medium can be a refrigerant and the cooling medium circuit can include insulated conduits leading from the central cooling unit to each of the refrigerating modules for supplying refrigerant to each of the refrigerating modules and for returning refrigerant to the central cooling unit, and the apparatus for receiving cooling medium can be a refrigerating module evaporator in communication with the interior of the insulated cabinet and a refrigerating module evaporator fan arranged to circulate air chilled by the refrigerating module evaporator in the insulated cabinet.
The cooling medium flow control devices can be expansion devices with feedback based on load for adjusting flow of refrigerant to the refrigerating module evaporators of the respective refrigerating modules. A second portion of the controller can be arranged to control the expansion valves for the respective refrigerating modules to maintain the respective selected operating temperatures.
At least one of the refrigerating modules can be a refrigerator freezer module having an above freezing refrigerator compartment, a below freezing freezer compartment, a door for the refrigerator compartment, a door for the freezer compartment and an evaporator compartment. The refrigerating module evaporator and refrigerating module evaporator fan can be positioned in the evaporator compartment and can be arranged to supply chilled air to the freezer compartment.
The refrigerator freezer module can have a compartment separator including a passage arranged for the flow of chilled air to the refrigerator compartment from a source of chilled air, a return passage for flow of air from the refrigerator compartment to the evaporator compartment, and an adjustable refrigerator compartment damper for controlling flow of chilled air to the refrigerator compartment. The at least one temperature sensor can be arranged to sense the temperature of the refrigerator compartment and the at least one temperature selector can select the operating temperature for the refrigerator compartment.
The second portion of the controller can maintain the selected operating temperature of the refrigerator compartment, and adjustment of the refrigerant compartment damper can control the temperature of the freezer compartment.
At least one of the refrigerating modules can be an above freezing refrigerator module.
At least one of the refrigerating modules can be a below freezing freezer module.
At least one of the refrigerating modules is an above freezing refrigerator module and one of the refrigerating modules is a below freezing freezer module.
The refrigerating modules can be selectively operated at different operating temperatures.
In a modular kitchen with multiple refrigeration modules the refrigeration system to cool the modules is a challenging problem. The simplest approach would be to have individual complete refrigeration systems for each module. In early phases of modularity for residential kitchens this might be the approach taken, especially when modular refrigeration product choices are few and economies of scale are not available. However, as modularity becomes more mainstream and kitchen designs begin to incorporate modular refrigeration products with appropriate infrastructure it will become desirable to have a single central cooling system from cost, manufacturing and energy efficiency perspectives. Consumers will be primarily interested in energy efficiency, cost, flexibility and expandability offered by a modular refrigeration appliance system with less concern about the central cooling technology to support the modular system.
According to the invention, a modular refrigeration appliance system can be provided for a residential kitchen and adjoining rooms in a dwelling that can include a central cooling unit for some or all the refrigerating modules that a consumer may desire to include in their kitchen, either at the time of construction, or to expand or change refrigerating modules over time as needs or desires change. A modular kitchen could allow consumers to select multiple refrigeration modules fitting their lifestyles the best with ultimate flexibility in their kitchens and totally customizable kitchens with modular appliances not only for refrigeration but also for food preparation and kitchen clean-up. According to the invention a single, variable capacity central cooling unit can be provided that is capable of matching the cooling need to the aggregate heat load of the refrigerating modules. The central cooling unit can be arranged to run continuously by controlling the volume of cooling medium directed to each refrigerating module so that each module will be cooled to a user selected temperature and maintained at the desired temperature accurately. The cooling medium can be cold air, refrigerant or a liquid coolant such as an ethylene glycol and water solution. The central cooling unit can be a vapor compression system, but is not limited to that. If a central cooling unit is a vapor compression cooling system the central cooling unit can have a variable capacity compressor capable of handling the cooling load from multiple refrigerating module products. Refrigerating module products can include above freezing refrigerator modules, below freezing freezer modules, refrigerator freezer modules having above freezing and below freezing compartments in various configurations that can include, but are not limited to, built in, stackable, under counter or drawer configurations. Also, refrigerating module products could include specific purpose modules such as ice maker, wine cooler and bar refrigerator units. In addition, conventional refrigeration products having a complete refrigeration system can be combined with a modular refrigeration appliance system according to the invention. For example, one or more below freezing freezer units can be combined with a modular refrigeration system appliance arranged for a plurality of fresh food above freezing refrigerator modules. As will be described in more detail below, a hybrid approach can be an energy efficient approach to providing cooling for modular products since the central cooling unit can run under more favorable cooling cycle conditions since a very cold, i.e. below 0° F., cooling medium would not be required.
Turning to
Refrigerating module 20 can have an insulated cabinet 24 and an insulated door 25 that can be hinged to insulated cabinet 24 to selectively open and close an opening 28 in insulated cabinet 24. Refrigerating module 22 can have an insulating cabinet 26 and an insulated door 27 that can be hinged to insulated cabinet 26 to selectively open and close an opening 29 in insulated cabinet 26. Those skilled in the art will understand that insulated doors 25 and 27 can be provided with a suitable handle, not shown, to facilitate opening and closing insulated doors 25 and 27. Refrigerating modules 20 and 22 can each have a heat exchanger 30 positioned in the insulated cabinets 24 and 26 respectively. Similarly, refrigerating modules 20 and 22 can have a variable speed heat exchanger fan 32 positioned to circulate air (illustrated by air flow arrows 38) over the respective heat exchangers 30 and through the respective refrigerating modules 20, 22. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that a single speed fan can be used instead of a variable speed fan 32. Refrigerating modules 20, 22 can also have a temperature sensor 34 arranged to sense the temperature of the interior of refrigerating modules 20, 22. Temperature sensor 34 can be a thermistor or other well known electronic or mechanical temperature sensing mechanism or device. Temperature selectors 36 can be provided for each of the refrigerating modules 20, 22 to allow the user to select the operating temperature for the respective refrigerating modules 20, 22. While temperature selectors 36 are illustrated schematically spaced from refrigerating modules 20, 22, those skilled in the art will understand that temperature selectors 36 can be located in each of the refrigerating modules 20, 22 as is well known in the art, or could be centrally located if desired. Temperature selectors 36 can comprise a well known mechanical or electronic selector mechanism to allow a user to select an operating temperature for the respective refrigerating modules 20, 22.
The refrigeration appliance system illustrated in schematic form in
According to the invention, central cooling unit 10 can be continuously operating so that chilled liquid at an adequate temperature to achieve the lowest selected temperature in the refrigeration appliance system is continuously circulated in insulated conduits 42 forming a cooling medium circuit from chilled liquid evaporator 40 to refrigerating modules 20, 22. Controller 50 can be arranged to adjust the capacity of the central cooling unit 10 in response to the aggregate cooling load of the plurality of refrigerating modules 20, 22. As noted above, while two refrigerating modules 20, 22 are illustrated in
Turning to
The refrigeration appliance system illustrated in schematic form in
According to the invention, central cooling unit 60 can be continuously operating so that chilled air is continuously circulated in insulated ducts 92 forming a cooling medium circuit from evaporator 90 to refrigerating modules 70, 72 and back to evaporator 90. Controller 100 can be arranged to adjust the capacity of the central cooling unit 60 in response to the aggregate cooling load of the plurality of refrigerating modules 70, 72. As noted above, while two refrigerating modules 70, 72 are illustrated in
Turning to
The refrigeration appliance system illustrated in schematic form in
According to the invention, central cooling unit 110 can be continuously operating so that refrigerant is continuously circulated in insulated supply conduits 142 and insulated return conduits 144 forming a cooling medium circuit from condenser 114 through manifold 117 to refrigerating modules 120, 122 and 124 and back to compressor 112 through accumulator 118. Controller 150 can be arranged to adjust the capacity of the central cooling unit 110 in response to the aggregate cooling load of the plurality of refrigerating modules 120, 122 and 124. As noted above, while three refrigerating modules 120, 122 and 124 are illustrated in
Turning to
The refrigeration appliance system illustrated in schematic form in
Refrigerating module 160 can be a two temperature refrigerator freezer module that can be arranged to have an above freezing refrigerator compartment 168 and a below freezing freezer compartment 166 as noted above. An insulated compartment separator 164 can be provided to divide insulated cabinet 162 into a refrigerator compartment 168 and a freezer compartment 166. Freezer compartment 166 can have an evaporator compartment that can be formed by an evaporator compartment wall 170 that can be arranged to separate the refrigerating module evaporator 130 from the freezer compartment 166. Evaporator compartment wall 170 is illustrated schematically as a dashed line below refrigerating module evaporator 130 to indicate that air flows (air flow arrows 148) into freezer compartment 166 from the refrigerating module evaporator 130, and similarly, air returns to the evaporator compartment under the influence of refrigerating module evaporator fan 132. Insulated compartment separator 164 can have chilled air passages 176 positioned on compartment separator 164 that can allow chilled air (air flow arrows 158) from the freezer compartment 166 or evaporator compartment to flow into refrigerator compartment 168 as is well known in the art. Compartment separator 164 can have a refrigerator compartment damper 178 to control the flow of air from the refrigerator compartment 168 back to freezer compartment 166 and refrigerating module evaporator 130 drawn by refrigerating module evaporator fan 132. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in
Similar to the embodiment of
Turning to
While the invention has been specifically described in connection with certain specific embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that this is by way of illustration and not of limitation, and the scope of the appended claims should be construed as broadly as the prior art will permit.
Claims
1. A refrigeration appliance system constructed and arranged for use in a residential kitchen and other rooms in a dwelling comprising:
- a plurality of separate refrigerating modules each having: an insulated cabinet having an opening for access to the interior of the cabinet; at least one insulated door for covering and uncovering an opening in the insulated cabinet; an apparatus for receiving a cooling medium to cool the interior of the refrigerating module; at least one temperature sensor for sensing the temperature in the module; and at least one temperature selector for selecting an operating temperature for the insulated refrigerating module;
- a single, continuously operating variable capacity central cooling unit for chilling a cooling medium comprising a variable speed compressor, a condenser, a variable speed condenser fan and a controller;
- a cooling medium circuit connecting the central cooling unit and the plurality of refrigerating modules to supply cooling medium from the central cooling unit to the plurality of refrigerating modules, and to return cooling medium to the central cooling unit from the refrigerating modules;
- a plurality of cooling medium flow control devices connected in the cooling medium circuit for controlling flow of cooling medium to each of the refrigerating modules;
- a control circuit connecting the temperature sensors, the temperature selectors and the cooling medium flow control devices for the plurality of refrigerating modules with the controller, said controller including: a first portion to adjust the capacity of the central cooling unit in response to the aggregate cooling load of the plurality of refrigerating modules in order to supply sufficient cooling medium to cool the plurality of refrigerating modules to the respective selected operating temperatures, and a second portion to adjust the volume of cooling medium directed to respective ones of the refrigerating modules to maintain the selected operating temperature in the respective refrigerating modules.
2. The refrigeration appliance system of claim 1, wherein the cooling medium is air; the cooling medium circuit comprises insulated ducts connecting the central cooling unit and the plurality of refrigerating modules for supplying chilled air to the plurality of refrigerating modules and returning air from the refrigerating modules to the central cooling unit; the apparatus for receiving a cooling medium comprises air inlets from the insulated ducts leading to the respective refrigerating modules and air outlets leading from the respective refrigerating modules to the insulated ducts; and the cooling medium flow control devices comprise a baffle for each refrigerating module for controlling the flow of chilled air flowing into the refrigerating module through the air inlet; the central cooling unit further comprises an evaporator and an expansion device with feedback based on the refrigerating system load connected in a refrigerant circuit with the variable speed compressor and condenser and arranged to chill the cooling medium air to a temperature below the lowest selected refrigerating module operating temperature and at least one evaporator fan to circulate the chilled cooling medium air through the insulated ducts to respective refrigerating modules; and the second portion of the controller is arranged to operate the baffles of the respective refrigerating modules to control the flow of chilled air flowing into the respective refrigerating modules to maintain the respective selected operating temperatures.
3. The refrigeration appliance system of claim 2, wherein the baffles are adjustable baffles adjustable between open and closed positions to permit or block flow of chilled air into the respective refrigerating modules, and wherein the evaporator fan is an adjustable speed fan to vary the flow of chilled air into refrigerating modules having an open adjustable baffle.
4. The refrigeration appliance system of claim 2, wherein the adjustable baffles are variably movable between open and closed positions to permit, block and vary the flow of chilled air into the respective refrigerating modules.
5. The refrigeration appliance system of claim 2, wherein the refrigerating modules are above freezing refrigerator modules.
6. The refrigeration appliance system of claim 1, wherein the cooling medium is a liquid coolant; the cooling medium circuit includes insulated conduits leading from the central cooling unit to each of the refrigerating modules for supplying liquid coolant to each of the refrigerating modules and for returning liquid coolant to the central cooling unit; the apparatus for receiving cooling medium for the respective refrigerating modules comprises a heat exchanger in communication with the interior of the insulated cabinet; and the cooling medium flow control devices comprise a valve for controlling the flow of liquid coolant to the heat exchanger; the central cooling unit further comprises a chilled liquid evaporator and an expansion device with feedback based on the refrigerating system load connected in a refrigerant circuit with the variable speed compressor and condenser and arranged to chill the liquid coolant to a temperature below the lowest selected refrigerating module operating temperature, and a pump arranged to circulate the liquid coolant to the respective refrigerating modules; and the second portion of the controller is arranged to operate the valves to control the flow of chilled liquid coolant through the respective refrigerating module heat exchangers to maintain the respective selected operating temperatures.
7. The refrigeration appliance system of claim 6, wherein the valves are on-off valves to control flow of liquid coolant to the respective refrigerating modules, and the pump is a variable speed pump and the first portion of the controller adjusts the flow rate of liquid coolant in the cooling medium circuit by controlling the speed of the variable speed pump.
8. The refrigeration appliance system of claim 6, wherein each of the refrigerating modules further includes a variable speed heat exchanger fan arranged for circulating air over the heat exchanger in the insulated cabinet.
9. The refrigeration appliance system of claim 6, wherein the refrigerating modules are above freezing refrigerator modules.
10. The refrigeration appliance system of claim 1, wherein the cooling medium is a refrigerant; the cooling medium circuit includes insulated conduits leading from the central cooling unit to each of the refrigerating modules for supplying refrigerant to each of the refrigerating modules and for returning refrigerant to the central cooling unit; the apparatus for receiving cooling medium comprises a refrigerating module evaporator in communication with the interior of the insulated cabinet and a refrigerating module evaporator fan arranged to circulate air chilled by the refrigerating module evaporator in the insulated cabinet; the cooling medium flow control devices comprise expansion devices with feedback based on load for adjusting flow of refrigerant to the refrigerating module evaporators of the respective refrigerating modules; and the second portion of the controller is arranged to control the expansion valves for the respective refrigerating modules to maintain the respective selected operating temperatures.
11. The refrigeration appliance system of claim 10, wherein at least one of the refrigerating modules comprises a refrigerator freezer module having an above freezing refrigerator compartment, a below freezing freezer compartment, an insulated door for the refrigerator compartment, an insulated door for the freezer compartment and an evaporator compartment, and wherein the refrigerating module evaporator and refrigerating module evaporator fan are positioned in the evaporator compartment and are arranged to supply chilled air to the freezer compartment; wherein the refrigerator freezer module further comprises a compartment separator including a passage arranged for the flow of chilled air to the refrigerator compartment from a source of chilled air, a return passage for flow of air from the refrigerator compartment to the evaporator compartment, and an adjustable refrigerator compartment damper for controlling flow of chilled air to the refrigerator compartment, wherein the at least one temperature sensor is arranged to sense the temperature of the refrigerator compartment and the at least one temperature selector selects the operating temperature for the refrigerator compartment, and wherein the second portion of the controller maintains the selected operating temperature of the refrigerator compartment, and adjustment of the refrigerant compartment damper controls the temperature of the freezer compartment.
12. The refrigeration appliance system of claim 11 wherein the at least one temperature sensor comprises a first temperature sensor for the refrigerator compartment and a second temperature sensor for the freezer compartment, and the at least one temperature selector comprises a first temperature selector for the refrigerator compartment and second temperature selector for the freezer compartment.
13. The refrigeration appliance system of claim 12, wherein the second portion of the controller responds to the second temperature sensor and second temperature selector to control the expansion device to control the volume of refrigerant flowing to the refrigerating module evaporator, and responds to the first temperature sensor and the first temperature selector to control the adjustable refrigerator compartment damper to control the flow of chilled air to the refrigerator compartment respectively to maintain the selected temperatures for the refrigerator compartment and the freezer compartment.
14. The refrigeration appliance system of claim 11, wherein the refrigerator compartment damper is manually adjustable by the operator to adjust the freezer compartment operating temperature.
15. The refrigeration appliance system of claim 10, wherein at least one of the refrigerating modules is an above freezing refrigerator module.
16. The refrigeration appliance system of claim 10, wherein at least one of the refrigerating modules is a below freezing freezer module.
17. The refrigeration appliance system of claim 10, wherein at least one of the refrigerating modules is an above freezing refrigerator module and one of the refrigerating modules is a below freezing freezer module.
18. The refrigeration appliance system of claim 1, wherein the refrigerating modules are above freezing refrigerator modules.
19. The refrigeration appliance system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the refrigerating modules is an above freezing refrigerator module and at least one of the refrigerating modules is a below freezing freezer module.
20. The refrigeration appliance system of claim 1, wherein the refrigerating modules can be selectively operated at different operating temperatures.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 28, 2006
Publication Date: Jul 3, 2008
Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION (BENTON HARBOR, MI)
Inventors: Nihat O. Cur (St. Joseph, MI), Steven John Kuehl (Stevensville, MI)
Application Number: 11/646,754
International Classification: F25D 17/06 (20060101); F25D 11/02 (20060101); F25D 17/02 (20060101);