ES3032666T3 - Cooling system - Google Patents

Abstract

A refrigeration system with a refrigeration chamber that includes a surface defining one or more openings. This surface is configured to house at least one container. An access door provides access to the refrigeration chamber. A refrigeration system is configured to cool the refrigeration chamber by forcing cold airflow through one or more openings in the surface. The airflow through each of the openings may be similar. (Automatic translation with Google Translate, no legal value)

Description

DESCRIPTION

Cooling system

The present disclosure relates generally to a cooling system according to claim 1. Background

Chillers are used in many industries, including food and beverage cooling. Chillers generally take a long time to cool a product inside the cooler. For example, some chillers can take 12 to 24 hours to cool the entire contents of the cooler. Furthermore, current chillers can be large and inefficient. This inefficiency is exacerbated in certain countries where power availability is not continuous and is only available for part of the day. In such cases, current chillers cannot provide cold food and beverages to consumers at the point of sale. There is a need for a fast-cooling, energy-efficient chiller.

Patent document GB 2514622 A discloses a refrigerator that uses a phase change material as a thermal accumulator.

Other relevant prior art documents are US2275323 A, EP1878986A 1, US2203991 A, GB2301172 A, US2005/241333A 1, WO97/33504A 1, WO2011/007960A 2, US6763677B 1, CN103625781 A, JP2003254659A and JP2013011420A.

Brief summary

The present invention is disclosed in independent claim 1. Further embodiments are described in the dependent claims.

The cooling system is configured to provide a substantially uniform temperature distribution in the cooling chamber.

According to another embodiment, the air flow through each of the one or more openings of the cooling system may be substantially similar.

According to another embodiment, one or more openings may have a size, shape and/or spacing arrangement that allows providing substantially similar airflow therethrough.

According to another embodiment, the cooling system may include one or more baffles, including a plurality of baffles, located in the cold air duct, wherein the baffles are configured to adjust the air flow within the cold air duct.

According to another embodiment, the surface or floor of the cooling chamber includes at least a first region with one or more openings having at least one first opening feature and a second region with one or more openings having at least one second opening feature different from the first opening feature.

Those skilled in the art will understand from the following description of certain exemplary embodiments of the cooling system disclosed herein that at least certain embodiments disclosed herein have improved configurations that offer greater benefits. These and other aspects, features, and advantages of the present disclosure or certain embodiments thereof will be better understood from the following description of the exemplary embodiments, together with the accompanying drawings. Brief Description of the Drawings

A more complete understanding of the present disclosure and its advantages can be acquired by referring to the following description taking into account the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals indicate similar features, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cooling system in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

Figure 2 is a top view of a cooling system in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

Figure 3 is a front view of a cooling system in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

Figure 4 is a left side view of a cooling system in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

Figure 5 is a right side view of a cooling system in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

Figures 6A - 6D are simplified perspective cross-sectional views taken along plane 6-6 of Figure 1 showing various examples of cooling systems in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

Figure 6E is a simplified perspective cross-sectional view of a cooling system in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 7-7 of the cooling system of Figure 3 in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

Figures 8A-8E are top views of exemplary surfaces or floors in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

Figure 8F is a cross-sectional view taken along line 8F-8F of the floor of Figure 8E in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

Detailed description of certain exemplary embodiments

Figures 1-5, 6B-6E, 7, and 8A-8F show embodiments useful for understanding the invention, which are outside the scope of the claims. Figure 6A shows an embodiment in accordance with the present invention, disclosing a cooling system according to claim 1.

In the following description of the various embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form part thereof, and in which various embodiments of the disclosure that can be put into practice are shown by way of illustration.

In the following description of the various examples, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. While the terms “top,” “bottom,” “front,” “rear,” “side,” “posterior,” etc., may be used herein to describe various exemplary features and elements of the invention, these terms are used herein for convenience, for example, based on the exemplary orientations shown in the figures or the orientation during typical use. Likewise, the term “plurality,” as used herein, denotes any number greater than one, either disjunctly or conjunctively, as necessary, up to an infinite number. The reader is further cautioned that the accompanying drawings are not necessarily to scale.

It is understood that cooling systems can contain components made of a variety of materials. Furthermore, these components can be manufactured using various forming processes.

The various figures in this application illustrate examples of cooling systems in accordance with the present disclosure. When the same reference number appears in more than one drawing, that number is used consistently throughout this specification, and the drawings refer to the same or similar parts throughout the specification.

A cooling system 100, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure, is shown at least in Figures 1 through 7. The cooling system 100 generally includes a housing 101 and, as will be explained in greater detail below, an internal cooling chamber 200 and a cooling system 300. In an exemplary embodiment, the cooling system 100 is configured to cool a plurality of containers, including, for example, beverage containers such as soda bottles, water bottles, cartons, beverage cans, and other similar beverage and/or food containers, including any related packaging. However, it is understood that the cooling system 100 may be configured to cool other items.

As shown in Figure 1, the cooling system 100 may have a generally rectangular box-shaped housing 101 including a front face 102, a rear face 104, a top face 106, a bottom face 108, and two side walls 109 and 110. Although the housing 101 shown in Figure 1 is rectangular box-shaped, other suitable housing shapes and sizes may be utilized, such as a pyramidal, spherical, and cylindrical shape. The cooling system housing 101 may include exterior walls 120, 122, 124, 126, and 128, as shown, for example, in Figures 1 through 5. The exterior walls may be constructed of any suitable material including, for example, sheet metal, plastic, or composite materials.

In one example, the housing 101 may have a height between 400 mm and 700 mm; a depth between 300 mm and 600 mm; and a width between 600 mm and 900 mm. Thus, the exterior dimensions of the housing may define a volume, for example, between 0.14 m3 and 0.24 m3. However, the above dimensions are provided for illustrative purposes only. As mentioned above, the housing may have any suitable size and shape.

The cooling system 100 also includes an access door 112 for providing access to one or more interior chambers of the cooling system 100. As shown in at least Figure 1, the top side 106 includes an access door 112 hingedly connected to the rear side 104 of the housing 101 for providing selective access to one or more interior chambers of the cooling system 100. While the door 112 shown in Figure 1 is shown connected to the rear side 104 by hinges 114, any other system may be used to provide access to the interior of the cooling system 100. In some embodiments, for example, the door 112 may be slidably connected to portions of the housing 101, and in other embodiments, the door 112 may not be structurally connected to the housing 101 and simply be removable.

As shown in Figure 1, the door 112 may occupy a substantial portion, or in some cases more than 50%, of the top side 106 of the housing. In other implementations, the door 112 may be larger or smaller, or of any size suitable to provide access to an interior portion of the cooling system 100. Furthermore, in other implementations, the door 112 may also be on any other surface of the housing 101. For example, in some embodiments, a door 112 may be located alternately on the front 102, rear 104, or side 109 and 110 sides of the housing. In other implementations, the cooling system 100 may include multiple access doors 112. Such access doors 112 may provide multiple ways to access a single internal compartment or may provide access to multiple internal compartments.

The door 112 may also include a gasket 113 that forms a seal between the door 112 and the remainder of the housing 101 and acts to prevent heat from outside the cooling system 100 from entering the cooling system 100. The gasket may be made of rubber or any other suitable material to form a seal between the door and the remainder of the cooling system 100. The access door 112 and connecting mechanisms described herein are provided by way of example only, and any suitable access door 112 or mechanism may be used to connect the door 112 to the housing 101.

As shown in at least one embodiment of the present invention in Figure 6A and in one example of Figure 7, the cooling system 100 also includes insulation 140 between the cold zone 150 of the cooling system 100 and the outside environment, including the warmer zones 152 of the cooling system 100. The insulation material 140 may be any suitable material. In one example, the insulation 140 is an inexpensive material, such as polyurethane foam, but any other suitable material, such as polystyrene foam, may be used. As shown in the embodiment of the present invention in Figure 6A and in one example of Figure 7, the door 112 includes insulation material 140 along the entire length of the door, which may increase the efficiency of the cooling system 100. However, in other embodiments, the door may be at least partially comprised of glass or other similar material such that a user may see through it into the interior of the cooling system 100.

As described above, the cooling system 100 includes at least one interior cooling chamber 200. As shown in the embodiment of the present invention in Figure 6A and in one example in Figure 7, the cooling chamber 200 is defined by surfaces such as a top wall 202 (which, as shown in Figures 6A and 7, may be an interior wall of the door 112), a bottom wall 205, and side walls 206, 208, 210, and 212. The cooling chamber 200 also includes a surface or floor 204 that is substantially horizontal and that is configured to accommodate a product to be cooled. As will be described in greater detail below, the surface or floor 204 may include one or more openings, or a plurality of openings, to allow air flow across the bottom of the cooling chamber 200. The surfaces, such as the interior walls 202, 205, 206, 208, 210, and 212 of the chamber 200, may be constructed of any suitable material, such as sheet metal or plastic. As shown in Figure 7, the bottom wall 205 may be inclined slightly with respect to the horizontal direction and may be operatively connected to a drain 215. Any liquid falling through the floor 204 toward the bottom wall 205 may be forced by gravity toward the drain 215, which may have an outlet outside the cooling system 100.

The interior cooling chamber 200, defined by the top wall 202, the side walls 206, 208, 210 and 212, and the surface or floor 204, may be, in some examples, between 200 mm and 600 mm in height, between 200 mm and 600 mm in depth, and between 200 mm and 600 mm in width. Thus, the cooling chamber 200 may have a volume, for example, between 0.008 m3 and 0.22 m3. The above dimensions of the interior cooling chamber 200 are provided by way of example only. The cooling chamber 200 described herein may be of any suitable size and shape.

As mentioned above, in other embodiments, the cooling system 100 may include more than one cooling chamber 200. For example, in some embodiments, the cooling chamber 200 may include multiple cooling chambers 200, each having a separate access door 112. In such embodiments, each separate cooling chamber 200 may be configured to cool products to the same or different temperatures as the other chambers, and at the same or different cooling rate than the other cooling chambers. In some embodiments, for example, one or more cooling chambers may be closed to prevent the flow of cooling air into such cooling chamber. In some embodiments, this may increase the overall efficiency of the cooling system. The cooling system 100 also includes a cooling system 300 used to cool the cooling chamber 200. The cooling system 300 may be located within the housing 101. In some embodiments, the cooling system may be separate from the cooling chamber 200, and in other embodiments, portions of the cooling system 300 may be separate from the cooling chamber 200. In other implementations, portions of the cooling system 300 may be separate from the housing 101.

The cooling system according to claim 1 includes a compressor, a condenser and an evaporator.

In accordance with the embodiment of the present invention shown in Figure 6A, the refrigeration system 300 includes a compressor 302, a condenser 304, and an evaporator 306. The compressor 302 and condenser 304, as shown in Figure 6A, are located outside or separate from the cooling chamber 200 and may be in fluid communication with ambient air outside the cooling system 100. As shown in Figure 6A, the evaporator 306 is located outside the cooling chamber 200, but in fluid communication with the cooling chamber 200.

The refrigeration system 300, shown in Figure 6A, contains a refrigerant, which is typically a fluid. The refrigerant may be any material sufficient for use in a refrigeration cycle. This may include materials such as ammonia, sulfur dioxide, and propane.

In a typical refrigeration cycle, the refrigerant generally arrives at the compressor 302 as a cold, low-pressure gas. The compressor 302 compresses the refrigerant, raising the temperature of the refrigerant. The refrigerant then exits the compressor 302 as a hot, high-pressure gas and flows to the condenser 304. The condenser 304 may include a condenser fan 310 that may be used to direct air over the condenser 304 and exhaust the warm air 312 out of the cooling system 100. The warm air 312 may exit the cooling system housing 101 through a vent 313 in one or more of the exterior walls 120, 122, 124, 126, 128, and 130 of the housing 101.

The refrigerant then flows to the evaporator 306, where it may transform from a liquid to a gas. This process may reduce the temperature of the refrigerant, thereby cooling the evaporator 306. The evaporator 306 may include a plurality of coils, fins, or other heat sinks that improve the efficiency of the evaporator 306.

The cooling system 300 includes a fan 308. This fan 308 may be located upstream of the evaporator, as shown in Figure 6A, or downstream of the evaporator, and is used to exhaust (or, in some embodiments, blow) air 314 from the cooling chamber 200 and direct the air toward the evaporator 306, thereby cooling the air 314. The fan 308 also directs cooled air 318 out of the evaporator 306 and back into the cooling chamber 200.

As is well known, warm air rises and cool air descends; therefore, most conventional cooling systems introduce cool air from an evaporator or other cool surface near the top of a cooling chamber and introduce air to an evaporator or other cool surface through a vent toward the bottom of the cooling chamber. However, as shown in Figures 6A and 7, the cooling system 100 includes an air inlet vent 320 located at an upper portion of the cooling chamber 200. This inlet vent 320 may be centered at least in the upper 50% of the cooling chamber 200, at least in the upper 33% of the cooling chamber 200, at least in the upper 25% of the cooling chamber 200, or at least in the upper 10% of the cooling chamber 200. As mentioned above, in some embodiments, the direction of the air flow may be reversed. In such implementations, the inlet vent 320 is understood to act as an exhaust or discharge vent.

In an exemplary embodiment, the inlet vent 320 may be a circular opening having a diameter between 100 mm and 140 mm. In other embodiments, the inlet vent 320 may have any other size or shape, including square, rectangular, oval, and other shapes. In some embodiments, the inlet vent 320 may include a grille 321 or other device that prevents particles and other objects from entering the fan 308 from the cooling chamber 200.

As mentioned above, fan 308 draws (or, in some embodiments, blows) air 314 across evaporator (or other cooled surface) 306, which cools the air. The cooled air 318 is then directed through a duct 322. However, as mentioned above and will be detailed below, in some embodiments, the direction of the airflow may be reversed.

As shown in Figure 6A, the duct 322 may have a substantially vertical section 323, where air from the evaporator 306 travels in a substantially vertical downward direction adjacent the cooling chamber 200, and a substantially horizontal section 324, where the air from the evaporator 306 travels in a substantially horizontal direction below the cooling chamber 200. The substantially vertical portion of the duct 322 may be defined by a rear wall 325, a front wall 326, and side walls 327 and 328. In some embodiments, the front wall 326 may be the opposite side of an internal wall 210 of the cooling chamber 200, as shown in Figure 6. In some embodiments, the rear wall 325 may include one or more portions that are sloped and not substantially vertical. The side walls 327 and 328 may define the width of the duct 322. The width may, in some embodiments, be similar to the width of the cooling chamber 200, but in other embodiments the width may be greater or less than the width of the cooling chamber.

The substantially horizontal portion 324 of the duct 322 passes below the cooling chamber 200. The substantially horizontal portion 324 of the duct 322 may be defined by the side walls 327, 328, the bottom wall 205 and a bottom side of the floor 204.

The duct 322 may also include one or more mechanisms for regulating airflow within the duct 322. For example, the duct 322 may include one or more baffles 325. These baffles 325, as shown in Figure 7, are disposed in the direction of airflow and may act to separate the airflow within the duct 322. As shown in Figure 7, they are located between the floor 204 and the bottom wall 205; however, the baffles 325 may be positioned at any location within the duct 322. The baffles 325 may be made of any suitable material, such as sheet metal or plastic.

As shown in Figures 6A and 7, the duct 322 has a generally rectangular cross-section. However, in other embodiments, the duct 322 may have other cross-sectional shapes, such as circular. In other embodiments, there may be two or more ducts to direct the flow of cold air from the evaporator 306 to the cooling chamber 200. In other embodiments, the duct 322 may have any other suitable size, shape, or configuration.

As mentioned above, the surface or floor 204 includes one or more openings or a plurality of openings 326. These openings 326 may be configured such that the airflow from the duct 322 or the cooling system 300, through each individual opening of the plurality of openings 326, is substantially similar. In the embodiments of the cooling system 100 described herein, the airflow through the entire cross-section of the cooling chamber 200 may be substantially equal. Furthermore, the openings 326 and/or the floor 204 may be configured such that there is an even temperature distribution within the cooling chamber 200, thereby allowing the packages or containers within the cooling chamber 200 to be evenly cooled to substantially uniform temperatures. Substantially equal airflow through each of the openings 326 may be achieved by varying their characteristics, such as opening size, shape, and spacing arrangement, and by using baffles 325 to channel airflow within the duct 322. For example, the openings 326 may have different sizes, shapes, locations, or spacing arrangements such that airflow through each of the plurality of openings is substantially similar.

As shown in Figure 8A, the openings 326 may be spaced in a grid pattern and each of the openings may have a substantially circular shape. As shown in Figure 8A, a first portion 328 of the plurality of openings 326 may have a first size, shape and/or spacing arrangement, and a second portion 330 of the openings 326, downstream in the airflow direction of the first portion, may have a second size, shape and/or spacing arrangement. As shown in Figure 8A, the shape of the openings 326 in the first and second portions 328, 330 may be similar, but in other embodiments, the shape of the openings 326 of the first and second portions may be different. As shown in Figure 8A, the size of the openings 326 in the first and second portions 328, 330 may be different. In some embodiments, the openings 326 of the first portion 328 may be smaller than those of the second portion 330. For example, the first portion 328 of the openings may have a diameter of about 16 mm or between 12 mm and 20 mm, and the second portion 330 of the openings may have a diameter of about 20 mm or between 16 mm and 24 mm. Likewise, in some embodiments, the spacing arrangement of the plurality of openings 326 in each of the first and second portions may be similar or different. In some embodiments, for example, the plurality of openings of the first portion 328 may be spaced closer together or farther apart than the plurality of openings of the second portion 330.

In other embodiments, examples of which are shown in Figures 8B, 8C, 8D, and 8E-F, the openings 326 in the surface or floor 204 may have other sizes, shapes, and/or locations that provide substantially similar airflow through each of the openings 326. Similarly, these surfaces or floors 204 may be configured such that there is a uniform temperature distribution within the cooling chamber 200, allowing the packages or containers within the cooling chamber 200 to be uniformly cooled to substantially uniform temperatures. For example, as shown in Figure 8B, the plurality of openings may be circular, having a different arrangement and sizes than those shown in Figure 8A. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 8C and 8D, the plurality of openings may have different shapes, sizes, and configurations. As shown in Figure 8C, for example, the plurality of openings may be square or rectangular in shape, and as shown, for example, in Figure 8D, the plurality of openings 324 may be hexagonal in shape. Other suitable shapes may be used, such as, for example, triangular and octagonal openings. Likewise, any suitable spacing and size arrangement of openings 326 may be used.

In some embodiments, the floor 204 may have a thickness greater than that shown, for example, in Figure 6A. For example, as shown in Figure 8E, a cross-section of which is shown in Figure 8F, the floor 204 may include a packed bed. This packed bed may be composed of any suitable material such that air 318 can flow through the packed bed. Like the floors 204 described above, the packed bed includes openings 326 through which air 318 from the cooling system 300 can flow. The flow of cold air 318 through the packed bed may be uniform and therefore generate an even temperature distribution within the cooling chamber 200.

In some embodiments, the plurality of openings 326 may be adjustable. These adjustable openings may be used to adjust the cooling system 300 according to the type or size of the item being cooled. For example, soda cans may be more efficiently cooled with a floor 204 having smaller or more closely spaced openings 326 than a floor 204 for soda bottles.

In some embodiments, the floor 204 may be removably coupled within the cooling chamber 200, such that the user may install a first floor 204 suitable for cooling a first product or a separate second floor 204 for cooling a second product. In other embodiments, the configuration of the floor openings may be adjustable within the cooling system 100. For example, in some embodiments, the floor 204 may be comprised of a first piece and a second piece that slidably fit together, each piece having a plurality of openings. In such a configuration, movement of one of the floor pieces may open, close, enlarge, or reduce the size of the plurality of openings 326 through which air passes. In this way, the pattern of openings may be adjusted to provide the most efficient airflow possible. In such a system, the adjustment of the floor openings 326 may be manual or automatic. For example, in a manual configuration, the user may manually slide one of the first and second floor pieces. In an automatic system, the cooling system 100 may include one or more sensors that can determine the optimal floor arrangement and adjust the floor to the optimal floor arrangement.

As mentioned above, the cooling system 100, the cooling chamber 200, and the refrigeration system 300 may have any suitable size and shape. As shown in Figure 6A, the refrigeration system 300 includes a compressor, a condenser, and an evaporator. Other embodiments of the cooling system 100 are shown schematically in Figures 6B-6E.

As shown in Figure 6B, the cooling system 300 may be any system suitable for providing a flow of cooling air 318 to the cooling chamber 200. As discussed above, the cooling system 300 is a compressor-based cooling system as shown in Figure 6A.

In still other embodiments, as shown in Figure 6C, the direction of the air flow may be reversed compared to the air flow shown in Figures 6A and 6B. As shown in Figure 6C, the cooling air flow 318 may exit the cooling system 300 and enter the cooling chamber 200 at the top of the cooling chamber 200. The cooling air 318 may then flow generally downward through the openings 326 in the floor 204 and return to the cooling system 300.

6D , the cooling system 100 may include one or more openings or a plurality of openings 326 in one or more surfaces including side walls 206, 208, 210, 212 through which the cool air flow 318 of the cooling system 300 may flow. In some embodiments, there may be openings in surfaces including the floor 204 and at least one of the side walls 206, 208, 210, 212. In such embodiments, the cool air flow 318 through the openings 326 of the floor 204 and the side walls 206, 208, 210, 212 may be substantially similar, allowing for even temperature distribution in the cooling chamber 200. In other embodiments, there may be openings 326 only in at least one of the side walls. 206, 208, 210, 212, but not on the floor 204. In such embodiments, the flow of cold air 318 through one or more openings 326 in at least one side wall may be substantially similar, allowing for uniform temperature distribution in the cooling chamber 200.

In still other embodiments, as mentioned above, the cooling system 100 may have any other suitable size or configuration. As shown in Figure 6E, the cooling chamber 200 may, for example, be located above the cooling system 300. Cold air 318 from the cooling system 300 may flow upward or downward through the floor 204 and return to the cooling system through an inlet in the cooling chamber 200.

In some embodiments, the cooling system 100 may also include a temperature sensor 402 (not shown) for measuring the internal temperature within the cooling system 100. The cooling system 300 may be controlled based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 402. For example, the cooling system 300 may be activated when the temperature sensor 402 detects a temperature that is too high and deactivated when the temperature sensor 402 detects that a set point temperature has been reached. In some embodiments, the set point temperature may be in a range of about 10° C. to about 0° C. Automatic control of the cooling system 300 by means of a temperature sensor 402 may, in some embodiments, improve the efficiency of the cooling system.

In some embodiments, the cooling system 100 may include a logo or other design on one or more of the exterior walls 120, 122, 124, 126, 128. In some embodiments, the logo or other design may include one or more lights, such as a light-emitting diode (LED). In other embodiments, the lights or LEDs may surround the logo or other design. The lights or LEDs may turn on or off, and in some embodiments, may flash in specific patterns. For example, in one implementation, the lights or LEDs may surround the logo or other design and may turn on for a first period of time, flash for a second period of time, and for a third period of time, certain portions may be lit while others may be turned off. In one embodiment, the first time period may be about 15 seconds or between 10 and 30 seconds, the second time period may be about 15 seconds or between 10 and 30 seconds, and the third time period may be about 15 seconds or between 10 and 30 seconds. This sequence may be repeated. Furthermore, in other embodiments, the first, second, and third time periods may occur in any order.

Cooling systems 100 such as those described herein offer several advantages. In some embodiments, a cooling system such as that described herein can significantly reduce the cooling time of a product within the cooling system 100. For example, in some embodiments, the cooling systems described herein can cool beverage bottles from a range of about 50°C to 30°C to a range of about 10°C to 0°C in about 3 to 6 hours. Thus, in some embodiments, the cooling systems 100 described herein can cool products at least five times faster than other cooling systems.

As mentioned above, warm air rises and cool air sinks; therefore, most conventional cooling systems introduce cool air from an evaporator or other cool surface to the top of a cooling chamber and introduce the air to an evaporator or other cool surface through a vent to the bottom of the cooling chamber. The cooling systems described herein introduce air to an evaporator or other cool surface from a top of the cooling chamber 200 and force the cool air through the floor 204 of the cooling chamber. The momentum of cold air movement from the bottom to the top of the cooling chamber, against its natural flow, may increase the contact time of the cold air with a product within the cooling chamber 200 and may increase the cooling efficiency of the cooling system 100. Cooling systems 100, as described herein, may reduce the amount of time needed to cool a product by at least 15%, or at least 20%, or at least 25% compared to a cooling system that introduces cold air at a top of a cooling chamber. However, as discussed herein, in some embodiments, the direction of the air flow may be reversed such that cold air enters through a vent in the cooling chamber and is exhausted from the floor of the cooling chamber.

Furthermore, the cooling systems described herein can maintain the temperature within the cooling chamber better than current cooling systems after the cooling system is turned off. In some embodiments, for example, the cooling system 100 can heat at a considerably slower rate compared to a conventional chiller. For example, the cooling systems described herein can heat the product to only 10°C or 15°C after six hours without turning on the cooling system. The cooling system 100 and portions of the cooling chamber 200 include a phase change material. Many phase change materials are known, such as salt hydrates, fatty acids, esters, paraffins, and ionic liquids. Phase change materials are typically encapsulated in a bag or similar container. When the cooling system 300 is active, the phase change material can be chilled or frozen. Once the cooling system 300 is turned off, the phase change material can help maintain the cold temperature within the cooling system 100 by absorbing heat as the phase change material transitions from solid to liquid. The phase change material is incorporated anywhere in the cooling chamber, including the top wall 202, the bottom wall 205, the side walls 206, 208, 210, 212, and/or the floor 204. The use of a phase change material in the cooling chamber 200 increases the ability of the cooling system 100 to maintain a cold temperature without using the cooling system 300.

Furthermore, because the time required to cool a product within the cooler can be reduced, the overall efficiency of the cooler can be increased based on the amount of product cooled. For example, in some embodiments, the cooling systems described herein can significantly reduce operating costs for the same amount of product compared to existing cooling systems by reducing the cooling system's electrical consumption. Furthermore, due to its simplified structure and operation, the cooling system 100 is more economical to manufacture, operate, and maintain.

The appended claims are intended to cover all modifications and alternative embodiments. It should be understood that the use of an indefinite or definite singular article (e.g., “a,” “an,” “the,” etc.) in this disclosure and the following claims follows the traditional patent approach of meaning “at least one,” unless in a particular instance it is clear from the context that the term specifically refers to one and only one. Likewise, the term “comprising” is indefinite and does not exclude additional elements, features, components, etc.

Claims (13)

1. A cooling system (100) comprising: a cooling chamber (200) defined by side walls (206, 208, 210, 212), a floor (204) and a top wall (202), wherein at least one surface of the cooling chamber defines one or more openings (326) and is configured to retain at least one container; wherein the cooling system (100) further comprises a phase change material disposed on at least one of the side walls (206, 208, 210, 212), the floor (204) or the top wall (202) of the cooling chamber; and wherein the cooling system (100) further comprises: a cooling system (300) configured to cool the cooling chamber (200) by forcing cold air flow through one or more openings (326), wherein the cooling system (300) further comprises a condenser (304) disposed laterally adjacent the cooling chamber (200) on a vertical wall defining a cold air duct (322) configured to fluidly connect the cooling system with the openings (326), wherein the cold air duct (322) is disposed between the condenser (304) and the cooling chamber (200), wherein the cooling system (300) further comprises a compressor (302) and an evaporator (306) disposed above a plane defined by the floor and positioned such that at least one side wall is between the evaporator (306) and the cooling chamber (200), wherein the cooling system (300) further comprises a fan (310) and a vent (320). an air inlet (320) in an upper portion of the cooling chamber (200), the air inlet vent being disposed in the at least one side wall, wherein the cold air duct (322) includes a substantially vertical portion located at least partially adjacent to the cooling chamber (200) and a substantially horizontal portion located at least partially below the surface, wherein the cooling system (300) is configured to cool the cooling chamber (200) by forcing cold air flow through the cold air duct (322) and through the one or more openings (326), and wherein the phase change material is configured to maintain a desired temperature in the cooling chamber when the cooling system is not operational. 2. The cooling system (100) according to claim 1, wherein the air flow through each of the one or more openings (326) is substantially similar. 3. The cooling system (100) according to claim 2, wherein the cooling system (100) is configured to provide a substantially uniform temperature distribution in the cooling chamber (200). 4. The cooling system (100) according to claim 2, wherein the at least one surface comprises the at least one side wall. 5. The cooling system (100) according to claim 2, wherein each of the one or more openings (326) are sized to provide a substantially similar air flow therethrough. 6. The cooling system (100) according to claim 2, wherein each of the one or more openings (326) are shaped to provide a substantially similar air flow therethrough. 7. The cooling system (100) according to claim 2, wherein each of the openings (326) is spaced to provide substantially similar airflow therethrough. 8. The cooling system (100) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one surface comprises a packed bed. 9. The cooling system (100) according to claim 2, wherein at least some of the one or more openings (326) are circular. 10. The cooling system (100) according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising one or more baffles (325) located in the cold air duct (322), wherein the one or more baffles (325) are configured to adjust the air flow within the cold air duct (322). 11. The cooling system (100) according to claim 10, wherein the substantially vertical portion of the cold air duct (322) located at least partially adjacent to the cooling chamber (200) separates the cooling chamber (200) from the condenser (304). 12. The cooling system (100) according to claim 2, wherein the cooling system (100) is configured to cool beverage bottles in the cooling chamber (200) from a range of about 30°C - 50°C to a range of about 10°C - 0°C in 1.5 to 6 hours. 13. The cooling system (100) according to claim 1, wherein the surface further includes at least a first region with one or more openings (326) having at least a first opening feature and a second region with one or more openings (326) having at least a second opening feature different from the first opening feature, wherein the surface is configured to retain at least one container; wherein the air flow through each of the one or more openings (326) is substantially similar.