Ambient refrigeration system
AssigneeNordic Refrigeration, Inc.
InventorRichard DeLia
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present the inventive technology is directed to improved methods and apparatus for the refrigeration of an enclosed space using external ambient air as a cooling medium. The inventive technology may cool an enclosed space utilizing, for example a modular designed duct system that may deliver a specific volume of supply air to an enclosed space at a specific temperature differential (TD) in relation to a desired set point of the enclosed space. This may be accomplished by mixing cold outside air and return air, or even running the return air through a fluid heat transfer chiller coil that may be cooled to varying temperatures by outside air utilizing an external chilling unit.
Claims59
An ambient refrigeration system for an enclosed refrigerated space comprising:
- at least one air handling container connected to said enclosed refrigerated space through a supply air duct;
- at least one return air duct coupled to separately accept return air from said enclosed refrigerated space and configured to provide, at at least some times, air from said enclosed refrigerated space to said at least one air handling container;
- at least one mechanical refrigeration system not located inside said air handling container and responsive to said enclosed refrigerated space and configured to operate at at least some times, with air from said enclosed refrigerated space provided to said at least one air handling container;
- at least one external air duct coupled to an external environment, and configured to provide, at at least some times, cold external ambient air to said at least one air handling container, and thereby to said refrigerated space as a cooling medium independent from and without being fed through said at least one mechanical refrigeration system;
- at least one external-return air flow mix regulation controller;
- at least one external-return air flow mix regulator responsive to said external-return air flow mix regulation controller, coupled with said return air duct and said external air duct, and capable of regulating air flow into said air handling container, said external-return air flow mix regulator comprising:
- a return air damper responsive to said external-return air flow mix regulation controller;
- and
- an external air damper responsive to said external-return air flow mix regulation controller;
- wherein said supply air duct is capable of directing supply air into said enclosed refrigerated space, and
- wherein said mix regulation controller controls a quantity of said cold external ambient air drawn into said air handling container through said external air duct and controls a quantity of said refrigerated air drawn into said air handling container through said return air duct.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.