DE102009029124B4 - Refrigerating appliance with an air flow divider - Google Patents

Abstract

Refrigerating appliance with circulating air cooling, with a storage space (1) for storing refrigerated goods, with an evaporator unit (3) for cooling cooling air, with an air duct (7) in a wall (9) of the refrigerating appliance for introducing cooling air into the storage space (1) with partial ducts (13; 15; 17) dividing the air duct (7) and with a fan (5) for conveying the cooling air from the evaporator unit (3) into the air duct (7), the fan (5) being one Radial fan is, with a fan near in the air duct (7) arranged air flow divider (11), the air duct (7) immediately downstream of the fan (5) divided into the sub-channels (13; 15; 17), with a fan housing (20), which closely surrounds the fan (5) to which the airflow divider (11) immediately adjoins, the airflow divider (11) being designed such that an airflow in the direction of flow is essentially tangentially discharged from the fan (5), 5) the subchannels (13; 15; 17) for j eden partial air flow of the cooling air are formed, so that each outlet opening (21) in the fan housing already each have a separate inlet opening of a sub-channel (13; 15; 17) corresponds or coincides with it.

Description

The invention relates to a refrigerator with circulating air cooling, with a storage space for storing refrigerated goods, with an evaporator unit for cooling cooling air, with an air duct in a wall of the refrigerator for introducing cooling air into the storage room, with a fan for conveying the cooling air from the evaporator unit into the air duct, and with sub-ducts dividing the air duct. The invention also relates to an air flow divider, in particular for refrigeration appliances with circulating air cooling.

A refrigerator with convection cooling shows the US 2008/0202149 A1 , It is a refrigerator freezer combination for the home with a double door in the housing of the refrigerator. The double door of the cooling area faces a rear wall, in which units are integrated for circulating air cooling. Behind a cover in front of the rear wall, which faces the interior of the storage space, a fan is arranged in an upper region, the plane of rotation of which extends parallel to the plane of the cover and draws in air axially. He gives the sucked air radially to its surroundings. The fan is embedded in a molded part, which is a part of the rear wall of the refrigerator and forms several air channels together with the cover. It leads from a chamber around the fan essentially initially radially away from the chamber and towards exit openings in the storage room.

The US 3,403,533 discloses a refrigeration device with a radial fan, from which several air channels emanate.

The EP 0 419 817 A2 shows a refrigeration device with a fan, from which several air channels go out.

The object of the invention is to improve the performance of circulating air cooling in refrigerators.

Under refrigeration device is in particular a household appliance understood, ie a refrigerator, which is used for household management, such as a refrigerator, a freezer or a combination of both devices, a so-called Kühlgefrierkombination. Refrigeration units with circulating air cooling are also referred to as no-frost refrigerators. In such a refrigerator with convection cooling cooling air is blown from an evaporator unit via an air duct or multiple air ducts in the storage room to cool its storage room with the help of a fan. The invention is geared to a radial fan. The fan is always according to the spatial

Conditions and its performance. A door in the housing of the refrigerator allows access to the contents of the storage room. The air duct or air ducts are generally in a rear wall of the refrigerator, so regularly in a wall opposite the door.

The object is achieved in the above-mentioned refrigeration device characterized in that in the air duct or in the air ducts and immediately downstream of the fan, an air flow divider is arranged, which air-duct subdivides the air duct into sub-channels for partial air flows of the cooling air. The air flow divider connects directly to a fan housing, which surrounds the fan as closely as possible. It thus forms directly on the fan sub-channels for each partial air flow of the cooling air, so that each outlet opening in the fan housing already corresponds to a separate inlet opening of a sub-channel or coincides with it. Run downstream of the fan several air channels for cooling air, each air duct, an air flow divider can be arranged. This may be the case, for example, if the refrigerator has two or more storage rooms, in particular with different temperatures, and a separate air channel for cooling air is provided for each of the storage rooms. The invention thus makes use of the knowledge that the effectiveness of circulating air cooling can be increased by dividing the cooling air downstream of the fan into individual partial air streams at an early stage. It avoids constructions of conventional design, according to which partial air flows are formed relatively late downstream of the fan, for example, by ramps or blades in the air duct, resulting in flow channel cross-sections and significant losses due to turbulence. The early division of the air flow of the cooling air in partial air streams, however, allows a flow-optimized division of the air duct and a similar design of the partial air ducts, whereby the circulating air cooling can be made more effective and space-saving. The fan gets more efficiency for the same performance. As a result, the invention is much closer to the goal of a homogeneous temperature stratification in the storage room than conventional devices.

In principle, the air flow divider can subdivide the available air flow of the cooling air into sub-channels, which are arranged parallel or at right angles to one another with respect to the plane of extent of the wall of the refrigeration device. According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the sub-channels with respect to the plane of the wall can be arranged side by side. This results in compact channel cross-sections, which promise good efficiency with low flow losses and allow good space utilization of the small space in the wall of the refrigerator. In an arrangement of Partial channels side by side, the air flow of the cooling air from the fan can also couple more evenly into the sub-channels, as in less compact channel cross-sections. This also increases the effectiveness of circulating air cooling by reducing flow losses.

The storage room of the refrigeration device can be divided by shelves into individual compartments. According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, each sub-channel is assigned to exactly one of the compartments of the storage room. Each sub-channel thus delivers its air freight to cooling air in exactly one of the compartments of the storage room. It is designed to fully transport a sufficient portion of the airflow into a single compartment of the storage room. This is not precluded by the fact that several subchannels open into the same compartment of the storage room. However, no subchannel is assigned to a plurality of compartments so that it does not further split according to the invention. Because every further division of a partial air flow means a flow loss and thus a reduction in the efficiency of the circulating air cooling. Each subchannel is rather dimensioned so that it no longer needs any further division.

The basic principle of the invention is to increase the efficiency of the recirculation cooling by virtue of a flow-favorable design of the guidance of the air flow of the cooling air downstream of the fan. According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the air flow divider is designed such that the air flow of the cooling air in the flow direction is initially derived substantially tangentially from the fan. The invention thus takes into account the flow direction of the cooling air, which is predetermined by the fan, downstream of the fan. The air flow divider is therefore designed according to the invention such that it carries the air flow or partial air flow continuously from the predetermined flow direction or deflects into the new, required flow direction within the sub-channel and further in its direction to the storage space. The largely continuous change in direction in turn reduces flow losses, which otherwise result from turbulence and not only lack the divided partial air flow, but also disturb adjacent partial air flows and can represent a source of noise.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the air flow divider forms in its section immediately downstream of the fan a first crescent-shaped channel course of the sub-channels. As a result, the direction of the air flow exiting the fan of the cooling air is successively and thus as little loss and completely redirected to the corresponding sub-channel. In particular, the arcuate design of the inner curve of the flow leads to a low-loss deflection. Above all, it is necessary to provide continuously curved surfaces and to avoid corners, edges and jumps which cause the flow to be torn off and thus losses and possibly unwanted flow noises.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the air flow divider forms at least two directly adjacent sub-channels. This also serves a streamlined and low-loss air flow guide, because, for example, the front or right-hand boundary of a sub-channel can also serve as a back or left-hand boundary of the adjacent other sub-channel. Since both the front and the back of the boundary is fluidically effective, space and material can be saved by the immediately adjacent arrangement of the sub-channels. Even if they initially run parallel to each other, their early separate decoupling from the air flow of the cooling air downstream of the fan and separation from each other ensures a well-defined, for example, uniform distribution of the partial air flows.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the partitions between the sub-channels are formed thin-walled. Their streamlined faces in Auskoppelungsbereich thus offer the lowest possible flow resistance. In addition, the already limited space in the wall of the refrigerator can be optimally utilized and material can be saved.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, at least the fan remote ends of the partitions are flexible. Due to the flexibility or flexibility of the partitions they can be changed in shape and possibly different geometries or spatial configurations of the wall of the refrigerator, so adjust its rear wall or the cover of the air duct. The airflow divider can thereby tolerate dimensional deviations of other components on a large scale and can be easily assembled. The same air flow divider can also be used for different types of devices, which makes the production of the air flow divider itself and the stockpile for spare parts cheaper. The flexible partitions can be mounted, for example, biased against pins or notches in the wall of the refrigerator or against housing parts of other units. The sub-channels formed by the air flow divider obtained by a whopping investment and good adaptability, which avoids rattling or noise sources due to flow disturbances.

Basically, the air flow divider can also be integral with the wall, so the rear wall of the refrigerator or the cover of the air duct opposite the storage room, be formed. As a result, the installation effort for the separate assembly of the air flow divider completely eliminated. According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, however, the air flow divider is formed as a separate molded part, preferably made of plastic, and used in the conversion of the refrigerator, ie between the rear wall and the cover. As a result, the air flow divider can be adapted with little effort to different designs and constructions of refrigerators or optionally replace existing air flow divider conventional Bauwart.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the air flow divider can be latched into the wall of the refrigerator. It has detents, clips or snap hooks, with which it can be hooked into the corresponding opening in the rear wall or the cover of the air duct. This makes it particularly easy to assemble or disassemble, which he makes a contribution to the cost reduction of the refrigerator.

The object is also achieved by the above-mentioned air flow divider, which is located immediately downstream of the fan in the air duct or in the air ducts and the air duct air near divided into sub-channels for partial air flows. It may be implemented in the manner described in detail above.

• 1: einen Teilschnitt durch ein erfindungsgemäßes Kältegerät,
• 2: eine Draufsicht eines Lüftergehäuses mit einem Luftstromteiler,
• 3: eine perspektivische Ansicht des Lüftergehäuses mit einem Luftstromteiler,
• 4: eine perspektivische Ansicht des Luftstromteilers,
• 5: eine teilgeschnittene perspektivische Ansicht des Luftstromteilers,
• 6. eine Rückansicht eines Kältegeräts,
• 7: eine perspektivische Ansicht eines Luftstromteilers und einer Luftkanalabdeckung und
• 8: einen an der Luftkanalabdeckung montierten Luftstromteiler

The principle of the invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing by way of example. In the drawing show:

• 1 : a partial section through an inventive refrigeration device,
• 2 : A top view of a fan housing with an air flow divider,
• 3 FIG. 2: a perspective view of the fan housing with an air flow divider, FIG.
• 4 a perspective view of the air flow divider,
• 5 a partially cutaway perspective view of the air flow divider,
• 6 , a rear view of a refrigerator,
• 7 a perspective view of an air flow divider and an air duct cover and
• 8th An airflow divider mounted on the air duct cover

1 shows a partial sectional view through an inventive refrigeration device using the example of a Kühlgefrierkombination for household purposes. It includes a storage room 1 , which by shelves in several subjects 2 is divided. Outside the storeroom 1 with the subjects 2 is a per se known evaporator unit 3 attached with cooling coils. Air from the subjects 2 flows, sucked by a fan 5 through an air inlet 4 through the evaporator unit 3 , is cooled there, and then by the fan 5 as cooling air in an air duct 7 blown. From the air duct 7 the cooling air enters the compartments 2 from where they turn through the air inlet 4 in the evaporator unit 3 can be returned. The air duct 7 is in a wall 9 of the storage room 1 accommodated. The air duct 7 is embedded there between a back wall 6 of the storage room 1 and a front cover 8th him facing the storeroom 1 separates.

The air duct 7 becomes in a plane perpendicular to the back wall 6 or to the front cover 8th the air duct through an air flow divider 11 into several subchannels 13 . 15 . 17 divided. Each subchannel 13 . 15 . 17 directs a partial air flow of the cooling air from the fan 5 in one of the subjects 2 on.

In the 2 are the airflow divider 11 and a fan 5 immediately surrounding housing 20 shown in a plan view. The airflow divider 11 closes directly on the fan housing 20 on. It consists of several partitions 19 used in conjunction with the front cover, not shown 8th of the air duct 7 and the back wall 6 the subchannels 15 and 17 form. He also has a channel housing 22 with an entry section 24 and a diverting section 26 , The duct housing 22 forms the complete subchannel 13 ,

The fan housing 20 encloses a radial fan, not shown, which allows the sucked cooling air to flow in the radial direction to the outside. Its direction of rotation and the fan housing closely surrounding it 20 give a spiral flow of cooling air, represented by the flow arrows S , The construction of the air flow divider 11 takes into account the existing flow direction S in the way that they are from the fan 5 incoming air flow of the cooling air with respect to the circular fan housing 20 essentially divided tangentially into partial air streams. Therefore, the dividing walls bump 19 , in any case, the subchannels 15 and 17 form, in the area of the outlet openings 21 ( 3 ) at an acute angle to the fan housing 20 , By this arcuate or sickle-shaped design of the partitions 19 the air flow of the cooling air is downstream of the fan 5 split as little resistance and loss. The partitions 19 cause a nearly continuous change in direction of the air flow of the cooling air and thereby avoid turbulence, which would otherwise constitute an undesirable Verwirbelungs- and noise source.

The perspective view of 3 clarifies the spatial relationships between the fan housing 20 and the air flow divider 11 , They are the outlet openings 21 in the fan housing 20 recognizable, the same time inlet openings of the sub-channels 13 . 15 . 17 form and where the air flow divider with its partitions 19 and the channel housing 22 immediately connected. The air flow of the cooling air from the fan 5 So it is already on leaving the fan housing 20 divided directly into individual partial air streams passing through the subchannels 13 . 15 . 17 into the subjects 2 (see. 1 ) be initiated. The crescent-shaped partitions 19 ensure that the partial air flows of the cooling air in a laminar as possible, so turbulence-free flow to the subjects 2 be forwarded. Above all, they are designed according to flow criteria and not according to geometrical or spatial requirements. The for the individual subjects 2 The required amount of cooling air can be determined by the position and size of the exhaust vent on the fan and by the position, course, width and depth of the channels.

One opposite the subchannels 15 and 17 deviating design, the sub-channel 13 on (cf. 3 to 5 ). It consists of the entry section 24 immediately downstream of the outlet opening 21 on the fan housing 20 and a diverting section 26 , The entry section 24 defines the from the total air flow of the cooling air of the fan 5 diverted partial air flow and directs it to the deflection section 26 to. He is on the right side through the partition 19 , left side by a wall 23 and on the front by a lid 25 limited. The partition 19 that the subchannel 13 from the sub-channel 15 disconnects, ensures by its directly from the fan 5 away curved execution for a possible turbulence free entry of the partial air flow in the sub-channel 13 or in the channel housing 22 , The curved shape of the partition 19 represents the inside curve of the flow S in the canal 13 It is of particular importance for the air circulation of the cooling air because of the flow S can lay on her laminar. For a largely lossless deflection of the flow S Their shape is therefore of greater importance than that of the opposite wall 23 , which is therefore executed in a straight line.

The entry section 24 is front of a lid 25 covered. It is divided into a plan section 250 and a vaulted section 251 ( 5 ). The plane section 250 lies the fan housing 20 ( 3 ) closer. The downstream arched section 251 already protrudes into the deflection section 26 into it. It bulges around a horizontal axis parallel to the plane of rotation of the fan 5 and thus out of this level towards storage space 1 (see. 1 ). The section 251 also forms an inner curve of the flow S , is for the effective deflection of the flow S in the top tray 2 ' ( 1 ) so of particular importance.

The section 251 is only relatively short in the vertical direction. Therefore, the deflection section 26 in addition, by an arcuate rear wall 28 limited, one the section 251 has corresponding curvature and in the perspective partial sectional view of 5 can be seen. The partial section through the channel housing 22 sets the entry section 24 and the deflection section 26 free. The arrow S symbolizes the partial air flow in the sub-channel 13 , the entry section 24 taken and by the deflection section 26 low loss in one direction at right angles to the plane of rotation of the fan 5 and thus directly into an adjacent, namely the top compartment 2 ' ( 1 ) is initiated.

The chamber housing 22 achieved with this targeted air deflection of the partial flow S a nearly lossless air flow and effective introduction of cooling air in the top compartment 2 ' of the refrigerator. It thus affects the tendency of the fan 5 contrary, the cooling air downwards and thus predominantly in the lower compartments 2 to press. The formation of the subchannel 13 and in particular the chamber housing 22 Conversely, effective with the effective supply of the top tray 2 ' with cooling air a largely homogeneous temperature distribution within the storage room 1 , Because the top tray 2 ' adjacent to and immediately below the relatively warm evaporator unit 3 is arranged, can thus also greatly reduce the Wiederkühlkühlzeit after a defrosting of the refrigerator.

4 shows the air flow divider 11 without the fan housing 20 , It illustrates the construction of the air flow divider 11 that with the channel housing 22 the complete subchannel 13 forms. The subchannels 15 and 17 In contrast, both of the partitions 19 of the air flow divider 11 as well, in the planes perpendicular to it, through the in 4 not shown back wall 6 the air duct and its front cover 8th educated. This clarifies that the airflow divider 11 the existing air duct 7 ( 1 ) into the subchannels 13 . 15 and 17 only divided.

At the channel housing 22 and there at the deflection section 26 and at the fan area of the canal 15 are snap hooks 27 whose function is described below (cf. 7 and 8th ) is described. The deflection section 26 runs in a U-shaped wreath 29 whose purpose is also explained below. The airflow divider 11 is as a separate component, for example as a plastic injection-molded component according to 4 and 5 produced.

6 shows a rear view of the storage room 1 with a cut case 30 and with one on the back wall 9 (see. 1 ) mounted sensor housing 32 , It is located in the area of the air duct 7 (see. 1 ) and is therefore at least partially flowed around by the cooling air. The airflow divider 11 ensures through its fork-shaped dividing walls 19 between the subchannels 15 and 17 for that the sensor housing 32 streamlined can be flown around. The partitions 19 are also made thin-walled, so that they are flexible to some extent. They are installed slightly biased, so they are reliably tired of the sensor housing 32 issue. You can also adapt to a certain extent to its geometry and position and are easy to assemble. So on the one hand needs the air flow divider 11 not exactly on the sensor housing 32 On the other hand, it is a largely undisturbed flow of the partial air flows through the sub-channels 15 and 17 possible. The airflow divider 11 So can compensate for larger tolerances, even if the sensor housing 32 for example, would be wider in a different device type or slightly higher or lower would be appropriate. Nevertheless, the same air flow divider can 11 can be used without causing a deviating geometry of other housing parts leaks of the channel profile, trailing edges or other flow disturbing turbulence and noise sources.

7 shows its easy installation on the front cover 8th , It has an opening 40 through, through which the partial air flow from the sub-channel 13 of the air flow divider 11 in the storage room 1 can flow in, and an upper edge 42 , At the opening 40 as well as at the top 42 the air duct cover are notches 44 attached, in which the 27 at the air flow divider 11 attached snap hook (see. 4 ) can engage.

The assembled state shows 8th , The snap hooks 27 are in the front cover 8th engaged, bringing the air flow divider 11 at the duct cover 8th is attached. The U-shaped wreath 29 at the deflection section 26 from subchannel 13 sits snugly and positively in the opening 40 , so that no turbulence caused by joints or re-entrant edges in the sub-channel 13 can disturb the corresponding partial air flow.

Since the foregoing airflow divider described in detail is an embodiment, it may be modified in a conventional manner by one skilled in the art to a large extent without departing from the scope of the invention. In particular, the number and specific embodiments of the subchannels can 13 . 15 . 17 and their partitions 19 in a form other than that described herein. Likewise, the channel housing 22 be designed in another form, if this is necessary for reasons of space or designerischen reasons. The invention is not limited to a radial fan, but can be applied analogously also to an axial fan. Furthermore, the use of the indefinite article "on" or "one" does not exclude that the characteristics in question may also be present several times.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

storage room

2

subject

2 '

top shelf

3

evaporator unit

4

Air inlet opening

5

Fan

6

rear wall

7

air duct

8th

front cover

9

wall

11

Air flow divider

13,15,17

subchannel

19

partition wall

20

fan housing

21

outlet opening

22

channel housing

23

wall

24

entry section

25

cover

250

planner section of the lid 25

251

arched section of the lid 25

26

deflection section

27

snap hooks

28

arched wall

29

U-shaped wreath

30

casing

32

sensor housing

40

opening

42

upper edge

44

notch

S

flow

Claims (7)

Refrigeration unit with circulating air cooling, with a storage space (1) for storing refrigerated goods, with an evaporator unit (3) for cooling cooling air, with an air duct (7) in a wall (9) of the refrigeration device for introducing cooling air into the storage space (1), with sub-ducts (13; 15; 17) dividing the air duct (7) and with a fan (5) for conveying the cooling air from the evaporator unit (3) into the air duct (7), wherein the fan (5) is a radial fan, with an airflow divider (11) arranged close to the fan in the air duct (7) and dividing the air duct (7) immediately downstream of the fan (5) into the sub-ducts (13; 15; 17), a fan housing (20) closely surrounding the fan (5), at which the air flow divider (11) immediately adjoins, wherein the air flow divider (11) is configured such that an air flow in the flow direction is derived substantially tangentially from the fan (5), wherein the partial channels (13; 15; 17) are formed directly on the fan (5) for each partial air flow of the cooling air so that each outlet opening (21) in the fan housing already corresponds to a separate inlet opening of a partial channel (13; 15; coincides with her. Refrigeration device after Claim 1 , characterized in that the storage space (1) is divided into a plurality of compartments (2), and that each sub-channel (13; 15; 17) is assigned to exactly one of the compartments (2) of the storage space (1). Refrigeration device after Claim 2 , characterized in that the storage space (1) is divided by shelves into a plurality of compartments (2). Refrigerating appliance according to one of the above claims, characterized by a sickle-shaped channel course of the partial channels (13; 15; 17). Refrigeration device after Claim 4 with thin-walled partitions (19) between the sub-channels (13; 15; 17), characterized in that at least the fan-remote ends of the partitions (19) are adaptable to different geometries or spatial configurations of a wall of the refrigeration device. Refrigerating appliance according to one of the above claims, characterized by an air flow divider (11) in the form of a separate molded part which can be inserted between a rear wall (6) and a front cover (8). Refrigeration device after Claim 6 characterized by an air flow divider (11) as in the wall (9) latched molding.

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