Refrigerated drying module for moisture sensitive device storage
AssigneeFlextronics AP, LLC
InventorsDason Cheung, Murad Kurwa
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A refrigerated drying module includes a storage cabinet for storing moisture sensitive devices, an air flow loop configured to circulate air into and out of the storage cabinet and a refrigerant loop configured to remove moisture from the air circulated through the air flow loop. The refrigerated drying module is configured to remove moisture from air drawn from the storage cabinet and collect the removed moisture as ice formed on the surface of an evaporator coil included in the refrigerant loop.
Claims31
A refrigerated drying module for providing a storage area having a low humidity environment, the refrigerated drying module comprising:
- a. a storage cabinet comprising a storage cabinet housing;
- b. an air tube coupled to the storage cabinet such that air circulates from the storage cabinet into the air tube and back into the storage cabinet, wherein at least a portion of the air tube is external to the storage cabinet housing;
- c. a refrigerant loop comprising an evaporator coil and refrigerant flowing through the evaporator coil, wherein the evaporator coil is positioned within the air tube such that air circulating through the air tube passes over the evaporator coil and moisture within the air is collected as ice on the evaporator coil, thereby lowering a humidity level of the air circulating back into the storage cabinet, further wherein a remaining portion of the refrigeration loop is exterior to the air tube.
A refrigerated drying module for providing a storage area having a low humidity environment, the refrigerated drying module comprising:
- a. a storage cabinet comprising a storage cabinet housing;
- b. a plurality of air tubes coupled to the storage cabinet such that air circulates from the storage cabinet into each air tube and back into the storage cabinet, wherein at least a portion of each air tube is external to the storage cabinet housing;
- c. a plurality of refrigerant loops each comprising an evaporator coil and refrigerant flowing through the evaporator coil, wherein one evaporator coil from the plurality of refrigerant loops is positioned within a corresponding one air tube from the plurality of air tubes such that air circulating through each air tube passes over the evaporator coil and moisture within the air is collected as ice on the evaporator coil, thereby lowering a humidity level of the air circulating back into the storage cabinet, further wherein a remaining portion of the plurality of refrigeration loops is exterior to the plurality of air tubes.
A refrigerated drying module for providing a storage area having a low humidity environment, the refrigerated drying module comprising:
- a. a storage cabinet;
- b. an air tube coupled to the storage cabinet such that air circulates from the storage cabinet into the air tube and back into the storage cabinet;
- c. a refrigerant loop comprising an evaporator coil and refrigerant flowing through the evaporator coil, wherein the evaporator coil is positioned within the air tube such that air circulating through the air tube passes over the evaporator coil and moisture within the air is collected as ice on the evaporator coil, thereby lowering a humidity level of the air circulating back into the storage cabinet, further wherein a remaining portion of the refrigeration loop is exterior to the air tube;
- d. a humidity sensor positioned within the storage cabinet and external to the air tube, wherein the humidity sensor is configured to sense a humidity level within the storage cabinet;
- e. an air tube fan coupled to the air tube, wherein the air tube fan is configured to force air to circulate through the air tube;
- and
- f. a controller coupled to the refrigerant loop, the humidity sensor, and the air tube fan, wherein the controller is configured to control a humidity level within the storage cabinet to a predetermined level by sensing the humidity level in the storage cabinet according to the humidity sensor and controlling the air tube fan to adjust an airflow rate through the air tube.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.