Baffle and Method for Enhancing a Defrost Cycle

Abstract

In a cooling system, a member is positioned between an evaporator and the spaced to be cooled by the cooling system. The member diverts air that flows back from the cooled space to the evaporator away from the bottom region of the evaporator.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/792,847 filed Apr. 18, 2007.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates in general to refrigeration systems and more specifically to a baffle and method for improving the evaporator cooling performance.

BACKGROUND

A common problem associated with cooling systems is the formation of ice on the evaporator. Ice formation on the evaporator is detrimental to the performance of the cooling system and due to compression on the fins and tubes of the evaporator may result in a rupture. Most cooling systems utilize a defrost cycle to address the problem of ice formation on the evaporator.

It has been noted that during defrost cycle the bottom rows or section of the evaporator is the last to defrost and that often ice accumulates in this section of the evaporator. A typical remedy to circumvent this ice accumulation is to increase the thermal load by increasing the defrost time. However, this remedy increases energy consumption, decreases the cooling capacity due to the increased defrost cycle time, and overall reduces the evaporator cooling performance.

It is a therefore a desire to provide an evaporator baffle system that enhances evaporator cooling performance. It is further desire to provide an evaporator baffle system that enhances the efficiency of defrost cycles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing and other considerations, the present invention relates to cooling systems and more particularly to defrosting cooling systems.

Accordingly, apparatus, systems and methods for aiding in the defrosting of cooling systems is provided. An example of a cooling system of the present invention includes an evaporator having a bottom region, a top region, -and a face region; a fan in operational connection with the evaporator; an air duct extending from the face region to a cooled space; and a baffle positioned between the face region and the cooled space.

In another example of a cooling system of the present invention, the cooling system includes a mechanism for diverting the air flowing from the cooled space back to the evaporator away from the bottom region of the evaporator.

The foregoing has outlined the features and technical advantages of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and other features and aspects of the present invention will be best understood with reference to the following detailed description of a specific embodiment of the invention, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of a prior art refrigeration system;

FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing of an embodiment of a refrigeration system of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is an elevation view of an embodiment of the baffle of the present invention in isolation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Refer now to the drawings wherein depicted elements are not necessarily shown to scale and wherein like or similar elements are designated by the same reference numeral through the several views.

FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of a prior art refrigeration system, generally denoted by the numeral 5. Refrigeration system 5 is illustrated as a penthouse type air conditioning unit. System 5 includes a cooling evaporator 12 and fan 14. Evaporator 12 includes a plurality of tubes 16, as is well known in the art. Tubes 16 are aligned from the top 22 to the bottom 24 of evaporator 12. A duct 18 is connected between evaporator 12 and a space 20 for communicating air cooled by evaporator 12 to space 20. In the illustrated embodiments, space 20 is a room.

During the defrost cycle, as illustrated in FIG. 1, fan 14 is off and the air proximate the evaporator face, illustrated as face region 26 begins to warm during the defrost cycle. During the defrost cycle the air in region 26 warms relative to the ambient air in space 20. As face region 26 warms relative to the air in space 20, natural convection occurs, drawing the cooler air 28 of space 20 through duct 18 to evaporator 14 as shown by the arrows. Cooler air 28 from space 20 contacts tubes 16 that are positioned proximate bottom 24 of evaporator 12. It is believed that this natural convection contributes to the noted delay in the defrosting of lower tubes 16 proximate bottom 24 of evaporator 12, shown as region 30, relative to tubes 16 proximate top 22.

It is further noted that in the prior art refrigeration systems, ice tends to form and accumulate in region 30. It is believed, that the condensation from top 22 of evaporator 12 forms as ice in region 30. This ice formation in region 30 tends to occur regardless of the thermal load dedicated to the defrost cycle.

FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing of an embodiment of a refrigeration system of the present invention, generally denoted by the numeral 10. Refrigeration system 10 is substantially same as prior art refrigeration system 5, but further includes a baffle 32. Baffle 32 is positioned proximate bottom 24 of evaporator 12 and extends outwardly from the face of evaporator 12. The position of baffle 32 redirects or diverts the flow of cool air 28 away from region 30 of evaporator 12. Utilization of baffle 32 has improved the defrost time and reduced icing in region 30 relative to system 5.

In the illustrated embodiment, baffle 32 is connected to a sidewall of duct 18. However, it should be noted that baffle 32 may be connected and positioned in various locations so as to direct cool air 28 away from region 30.

FIG. 3 is an elevation view of an embodiment of baffle 32 in isolation. Baffle 32 includes a first leg 34, second leg 36 and a toe 38. First leg 34 is adapted for connecting baffle 32 within a refrigeration system 10. First leg 34 is illustrated as connected to a portion of duct 18. An end portion 40 may be provided for connecting to sidewall of duct 18.

The portion of duct 18 illustrated in FIG. 3 is located proximate bottom 24 of evaporator 12 (FIG. 2) and extends substantially parallel to the face of evaporator 12. Second leg 36 extends substantially perpendicular to first leg 34. Toe end 38 is the end of second leg 36 from first leg 34 and turns down and away from first leg 34.

Referring back to FIG. 2, baffle 32 is connected inside of duct 18. Second leg 36 extends outward from evaporator 12 into duct 18. Toe end 38 is curved away from evaporator 12 toward the source of cool air 28. In this manner, cool air 28 is diverted from flowing directly into region 30 of evaporator 12, to being more dispersed over the face region 26.

From the foregoing detailed description of specific embodiments of the invention, it should be apparent that a baffle and method for enhancing the defrost cycle of a refrigeration system that is novel has been disclosed. Although specific embodiments of the invention have been disclosed herein in some detail, this has been done solely for the purposes of describing various features and aspects of the invention, and is not intended to be limiting with respect to the scope of the invention. It is contemplated that various substitutions, alterations, and/or modifications, including but not limited to those implementation variations which may have been suggested herein, may be made to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims which follow.

Claims

1. A cooling system, the system comprising:

an evaporator having a bottom region, a top region, and a face region;

a fan in operational connection with the evaporator;

an air duct extending from the face region to a cooled space; and

a baffle positioned between the face region and the cooled space.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the baffle diverts air flowing from the cooled spaced to the face region away from the bottom region of the evaporator.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the baffle is positioned proximate the bottom region and extends outward from the evaporator into the air duct.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the baffle includes a leg portion extending substantially perpendicular to the evaporator and a toe angled away from the leg portion toward the cooled space.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the baffle is positioned proximate the bottom region and extends outward from the evaporator into the air duct.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the baffle includes a leg portion extending substantially perpendicular to the evaporator and a toe angled away from the leg portion toward the cooled space.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the baffle is positioned proximate the bottom region and extends outward from the evaporator into the air duct.

8. An apparatus for aiding in the defrosting of a cooling system evaporator having a duct extending from a face region of the evaporator to a cooled space, the apparatus comprising:

means for diverting air flow from the cooled space to the evaporator away a bottom region of the evaporator.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the diverting means is positioned proximate the bottom region and extends outward from the evaporator into the duct.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the diverting means includes a leg portion extending into the duct from the evaporator and a toe portion extending away from the leg portion toward the cooled space.

11. A method of aiding the defrosting of a cooling system of the type having a duct in connection between an evaporator and a cooled space, the method comprising the steps of:

ceasing the flow of air from the evaporator to the cooled space; and

diverting the air that flows from cooled space toward the evaporator away from a bottom region of the evaporator.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the air flow from the cooled space is diverted by a baffle.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the baffle is positioned proximate the bottom region. and extends outward from the evaporator into the air duct.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the baffle includes a leg portion extending substantially perpendicular to the evaporator and a toe angled away from the leg portion toward the cooled space.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the baffle includes a leg portion extending substantially perpendicular to the evaporator and a toe angled away from the leg portion toward the cooled space.