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The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in
which it is to be performed.
TECHNICAL FIELD
Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to refrigerators and
more specifically to refrigerators working in dual mode using Alternating Current
(AC) power in a first mode and Direct Current (DC) power in a second mode.
5 BACKGROUND ART
Refrigerators generally are power intensive appliances and hence are
designed for operating under a constant supply of Alternating Current (AC).
However, constant supply of AC power is still a challenge in a number of
developing and under-developed economies. The problem is aggravated as the
10 focus is shifted from urban areas to rural areas, where the AC power supply is at
best intermittent. This poses a significant challenge to applicability of the
refrigerator and therefore undermines any reason to make an investment into one.
The reason being that in most of their applications, and especially in rural areas, the
refrigerators are used to preserve perishable food items and in absence of
15 uninterrupted cooling, the food items are liable to perish anyways. In case of visi
coolers, that are generally used to store beverages supposed to be served chilled
(within a desired temperature range), lack of sufficient cooling or absence of
cooling hampers the marketability of the beverages that are stored in the visi coolers.
Therefore, in light of the discussion above, there is need for a dual mode
20 Alternating Current (AC) and Direct Current (DC) operating hybrid refrigerator,
which does not suffer from above mentioned deficiencies.
2
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention aim to provide a dual mode
Alternating Current (AC) and Direct Current (DC) operating hybrid refrigerator. the
hybrid refrigerator is still able to perform its intended function during power cut-
5 off or grid failure, which is a major bonus for developing countries and rural areas
where power cut-off and grid failures are a common phenomenon. The invention is
simple in construction and does not demand any major design overhaul for
implementation, thus providing several cost benefits including ability for upgrading
existing refrigeration setups. Since the conduits carrying the refrigerant need not
10 come in contact with the PCM, there is minimal issue of surface corrosion. Also, a
wide range of PCMs may be used to achieve different levels of refrigeration (or to
meet a wide range of cooling requirements) for different applications, without
making any changes in the design of the setup.
In one embodiment of the invention, the one or more storage tanks include
grooves on respective outer surfaces of the one or more storage tanks, in order to
accommodate tubes of the two plate and tube heat exchangers.
4
rechargeable battery from deep discharge.
5
general purpose processor, microprocessors, Field Programmable Gate Arrays
(FPGAs) and Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) and may be based
on several different architectures known in the art or may be developed in the
foreseeable future.
These and other features, benefits, and advantages of the present invention
will become apparent by reference to the following text figure, with like reference
numbers referring to like structures across the views, wherein:
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articles and the like is included in the specification solely for the purpose of
providing a context for the present invention. It is not suggested or represented that
any or all of these matters form part of the prior art base or were common general
knowledge in the field relevant to the present invention.
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and the refrigeration compartment. There is another commercially used
construction known as a visi cooler, generally used to cool liquids to within a
temperature range of 2-4°C. Visi coolers are also generally characterized by at least
partially transparent front doors for display of items, such as soft-drinks and
5 beverages, contained within the refrigerator cabinet.
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refrigerant in circulation. However, since in a normal household, the compressor
can only be operated through AC electrical power, the vapour compression cycle
becomes ineffective in absence of, or due to interrupted, supply of the AC electrical
power. Therefore, it is envisaged that there may be provided an auxiliary heat
5 exchanger in the refrigerated space. The auxiliary heat exchanger is envisaged to
contain a Phase Change Material (PCM) that would release heat to the refrigerant
during normal operation of the refrigerator when there is the AC power supply
available and freeze to a solid state or at least undergo drop in temperature. When,
the AC power supply is unavailable, and the compressor in unable to operate, the
10 PCM will absorb heat from the refrigerated space and undergo fusion to produce
cooling effect in the refrigerated space. The cooling of the refrigerated space may
further be augmented through a DC operated auxiliary fan. Of course to operate the
auxiliary fan, a rechargeable battery may also be provided, the rechargeable battery
being charged when there is AC power supply available.
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selected from compositions discussed above or may be a different composition
altogether depending upon specific application.
The evaporator 108 defines a refrigerated space 110 from where the
refrigerant absorbs heat and vaporizes causing a temperature drop in the refrigerated
5 space 110. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the refrigerated space 110
includes only a single compartment, but more than one compartments are also
possible and will be discussed later in the specification. There is also provided a
circulation fan 114 adapted to augment the transfer for heat from the refrigerated
space 110 to the refrigerant by causing forced convection. The compressor 102, the
10 condenser fan 136 and the circulation fan 114 are adapted to be powered by an
Alternating Current (AC) supply line 120. The compressor 102 is connected with
the AC supply line 120 through a compressor switch 130. Similarly, the condenser
fan 136 is connected with the AC supply line 120 through a condenser fan switch
134 and the circulation fan 114 is connected with the AC supply line 120 through a
15 circulation fan switch 128. The compressor switch 130, the condenser fan switch
134 and the circulation fan switch 128 may be electro-mechanical in construction
such as relays or may be solid state switches such as transistors, and are envisaged
to be temperature controlled as will be discussed later.
It is well known that the refrigerated space 110 may be used for a number
20 of applications such as for chilling drinks and edible items, to preserve perishable
food items and laboratory samples and other things that may decompose or undergo
chemical or physical change at room temperature. Therefore, in most of the cases it
is imperative that a predetermined temperature threshold be always maintained as
long as possible or at least restored as quickly as possible for as long as possible, in
25 the refrigerated space 110. However, as has been presented above, the AC supply
line 120 may not always be a reliable source of power, as it is prone to voltage
fluctuations, cut-offs and supply breakdown issues. That makes contents in the
refrigerated space 110 susceptible to damage or deterioration. Therefore, the hybrid
refrigerator 100 has been designed to be operated in dual mode, a first mode being
30 an AC operated mode and a second mode being a DC operated mode.
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To enable the dual mode operation, the hybrid refrigerator 100 has been
provided with an auxiliary heat exchanger 112, including a Phase Change Material
(PCM). The auxiliary heat exchanger 112 has been provided within the confines of
the evaporator and is configured to transfer heat to the refrigerant during the AC
5 operated mode and receive heat from the refrigerated space 110 during the DC
operated mode. Further, a rechargeable battery 118 has also been provided with the
hybrid refrigerator 100. The rechargeable battery 118 is configured to be receive
and store electrical power during the AC operated mode and deliver the stored
electrical power during the DC operated mode. In that manner, the rechargeable
10 battery 118 may be a Lead-acid, Lithium-ion, Lithium-polymer or a Nickel-metal-
hydride battery. An auxiliary fan 116 configured to be powered from the
rechargeable battery 118 during the DC operated mode has also been provided in
the hybrid refrigerator 100. The purpose of the auxiliary fan 116 is to augment the
transfer of heat from the refrigerated space 110 to the auxiliary heat exchanger 112
15 during the DC operated mode. The auxiliary fan 116 is connected with the
rechargeable battery 118 through an auxiliary fan switch 132 that may again be a
relay or a transistor etc.
Also, the hybrid refrigerator 100 includes a control module 122 configured
to switch the hybrid refrigerator 100 between the AC operated mode and the DC
20 operated mode. The hybrid refrigerator 100 also includes a secondary illumination
source 138 and the control module 122 is configured to illuminate the refrigerated
space 110 through the secondary illumination source 138, during the DC operated
mode. In that manner, the secondary illumination source 138 may be a Light
Emitting Diode (LED) or an incandescent bulb or a Compact Fluorescent Lamp
25 (CFL) etc.
The cutting-off of the circulation fan 114 allows the PCM to cool down,
and if the AC power is available for long enough, to change from a liquid state to a
solid state. It is to be noted here that the compressor 102 still needs to run in order
15 to keep the refrigerant in circulation and allow the cooling and further solidification
of the PCM. There is also provided a second temperature sensor 126 provided along
the conduits 150, downstream of the auxiliary heat exchanger 112. The second
temperature sensor 126 is configured to sense a second temperature value of the
refrigerant and the compressor 102 is configured to be cut-off in response to the
20 second temperature value being smaller than a second temperature threshold. This
implies from the fact that once the PCM has been frozen, it is no longer transferring
heat to the refrigerant and thus the temperature of the refrigerant is not rising. The
second temperature threshold may vary between, for example, -10 to -15 °C.
Much like first temperature sensor 124, the second temperature sensor 126
25 includes a thermostat that operates on the compressor switch 130 to disconnect the
compressor 102 from the AC supply line 120. The thermostat may further be a bi-
metallic type or diaphragm type. In alternate embodiments, the compressor switch
130 may be operated from the control module 122 based on temperature signal
received by the control module 122, from the second temperature sensor 126. The
30 second temperature sensor 126 in such scenarios may include thermistors,
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Resistance Temperature Detectors (RTDs), thermocouples and semiconductor
based sensors etc. It is also envisaged that the condenser fan 136 may also be cut-
off in the same manner as the compressor 102, by the thermostat or the control
module 122 operating on the condenser fan switch 134 to save power as the
5 refrigerant will not be circulating any further in the conduits 150 as long as the
compressor 102 is not operating. While there a number of constructions possible
for the auxiliary heat exchanger 112 and the control module 122, some of the
exemplary ones have been discussed below.
In use, during the AC operated mode, the AC supply line 120 powers the
compressor 102, the condenser fan 136 and the circulation fan 114. The circulation
25 fan 114 is cut-off after the first temperature value in the refrigerated space 110 drops
below the first temperature threshold (for example 3°C). This allows the PCM to be
cooled and frozen as lesser heat is being absorbed by the refrigerant from the
refrigerated space 110 and more from the PCM. Once the PCM is completely frozen,
the second temperature value of the refrigerant will stop increasing and compressor
30 102 is cut-off in response to the second temperature value being smaller than the
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second temperature threshold (for example -12°C). The compressor 102 may again
be restarted when any one or both scenarios occur, the scenarios including when the
first temperature value increases beyond the first temperature threshold and the
second temperature value increases beyond the second temperature threshold. The
5 micro-controller 232, of the control module 122, regulates the current being
supplied to the rechargeable battery 118 to ensure that the rechargeable battery 118
is charged to the first battery threshold (for example 24V), during the AC operated
mode. However, when the supply voltage drops below the first supply threshold
(for example 90 V RMS, may happen due to power cut, grid failure or sudden
10 voltage drop) and sensing that the battery voltage is greater than the second battery
threshold (for example 18V), the micro-controller 232 activates the DC operated
mode.
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We Claim:
1. A dual mode Alternating Current (AC) and Direct Current (DC) operating
hybrid refrigerator (100) including a compressor (102), a condenser (104),
a throttling device (106), an evaporator (108) and conduits (150) carrying a
5 refrigerant, the hybrid refrigerator (100) comprising:
an auxiliary heat exchanger (112) including a Phase Change Material
(PCM), the auxiliary heat exchanger (112) being configured to transfer heat
to the refrigerant during an AC operated mode and receive heat from a
refrigerated space (110) during a DC operated mode;
10 a rechargeable battery (118) configured to be receive and store
electrical power during the AC operated mode and deliver the stored
electrical power during the DC operated mode;
an auxiliary fan (116) configured to be powered from the
rechargeable battery (118) during the DC operated mode in order to augment
15 the transfer of heat from the refrigerated space (110) to the auxiliary heat
exchanger (112); and
a control module (122) configured to switch the hybrid refrigerator
(100) between the AC operated mode and the DC operated mode.
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cut-off in response to the first temperature value being smaller than a first
temperature threshold.
6. The hybrid refrigerator (100) as claimed in claim 5, wherein the one or more
storage tanks (220) include grooves (222) on respective outer surfaces of
15 the one or more storage tanks (220), in order to accommodate tubes (214)
of the two plate and tube heat exchangers (210).
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(118) from deep discharge.
9. A control module (122) for a dual mode Alternating Current (AC) and Direct
Current (DC) operating hybrid refrigerator (100) including a compressor
(102), a condenser (104), a throttling device (106), an evaporator (108) and
conduits (150) carrying a refrigerant, the control module (122) comprising
10 a micro-controller (232) configured to:
regulate current being supplied to the rechargeable battery (118),
during the AC operated mode;
connect the rechargeable battery (118) with the auxiliary fan (116) in
response to a supply voltage, of an AC supply line (120) delivering AC
15 power to the hybrid refrigerator (100), being smaller than a first supply
threshold and a battery voltage, across terminals of the rechargeable battery
(118), being greater than a second battery threshold, during the DC operated
mode; and
disconnect the rechargeable battery (118) from the auxiliary fan (116)
20 in response to the battery voltage being smaller than a third battery threshold,
during the DC operated mode, in order to prevent the rechargeable battery
(118) from deep discharge.
10. The control module (122) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the micro-
controller (232) is further configured to is configured to illuminate the
25 refrigerated space (110) through a secondary illumination source (138),
during the DC operated mode.
[GURPAL SINGH]
21
OF SAGACIOUS RESEARCH
AGENT FOR THE APPLICANT- IN/PA 2732
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ABSTRACT
A dual mode Alternating Current (AC) and Direct Current (DC) operating
5 hybrid refrigerator (100) comprises an auxiliary heat exchanger (112) including a
Phase Change Material (PCM), the auxiliary heat exchanger (112) being configured
to transfer heat to the refrigerant during an AC operated mode and receive heat from
a refrigerated space (110) during a DC operated mode, a rechargeable battery (118)
configured to be receive and store electrical power during the AC operated mode
10 and deliver the stored electrical power during the DC operated mode, an auxiliary
fan (116) configured to be powered from the rechargeable battery (118) during the
DC operated mode in order to augment the transfer of heat from the refrigerated
space (110) to the auxiliary heat exchanger (112) and a control module (122)
configured to switch the hybrid refrigerator (100) between the AC operated mode
15 and the DC operated mode.
[Figure 1]
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