GB2252815A

GB2252815A - Plate cooling apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2252815A
Application number: GB9103186A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stephen Kitching
Original assignee: WHITEGHYLL PLASTICS Ltd
Current assignee: WHITEGHYLL PLASTICS Ltd
Priority date: 1991-02-14
Filing date: 1991-02-14
Publication date: 1992-08-19
Anticipated expiration: 2011-02-14
Also published as: GB2252815B; GB9103186D0

Abstract

A cooling apparatus for use in a beverage dispensing, vending or storage machine comprises thermo-electric heat pump devices of the Peltier effect type (14) mounted on a hollow cooling plate (12) on which the beverages are stored. A fluid flow path is formed in the hollow cooling plate and a fluid such as brine is circulated around the fluid flow path to distribute the cold energy from the heat pump devices over the area of the cooling plate. The plate (12) may be inclined or the fluid may be circulated by a pump. The plate (12) may be formed of a material of high heat conductivity e.g. aluminium or copper and may incorporate a divider 32. The hot plate of each device (14) may be connected to a heat sink. The heat sinks may be incorporated in a liquid coolant circuit for circulating coolant to a radiator. <IMAGE>

Description

"Improvements in or relating to cooling apparatus" This invention relates to cooling apparatus and more particularly, but not exclusively, to cooling apparatus incorporating a thermo-electric heat pump device.

It is already known to provide various forms of cooling apparatus in which the source of cold energy is one or more thermo-electric heat pump devices such as Peltier effect devices.

However, this invention is concerned with the provision of cooling apparatus having a relatively large storage area for the storage of, for example, a number of cans of beverages or the like which have to be maintained at a low temperature.

It will be appreciated that the above type of cooling apparatus requires the provision of a cooling plate of relatively large surface area on which the products to be stored can be located.

Conventional thermo-electric heat pump devices1 such as Peltier effect devices, are usually of a relatively small physical size which makes it difficult to provide an economically viable cooling apparatus with a cooling plate of adequate storage area.

The object of this invention is to provide a cooling apparatus which alleviates this difficulty.

According to one aspect of this invention, a cooling apparatus comprises a source of cold energy mounted on a cooling plate wherein the cooling plate includes fluid circulation means for distributing the cold energy from the source over the area of the plate.

Preferably, the cooling plate is hollow and a fluid flow path is formed therein.

Preferably, also, the source of cold energy is mounted on the cooling plate on one side of the longitudinal axis thereof and the fluid flow path extends from the position of the source of cold energy on one side of the longitudinal axis of the cooling plate and returns to the same position via the other side of the longitudinal axis of the cooling plate.

The cooling plate, preferably, has a dividing plate extending for a major portion of the length of the cooling plate to divide said one side of the cooling plate from said other side thereof whilst permitting fluid communication between said sides at the ends thereof to form the outward and return paths of the fluid flow path.

Preferably, the cooling plate is inclined at an angle to the horizontal with the source of cold energy disposed at or adjacent to the upper end of the plate so that fluid flows around the flow path under the action of convection.

Alternatively, pump means may be provided to circulate fluid around the fluid flow path.

Preferably, the cooling plate is formed of material having a high thermal conductivity, such as, for example, aluminium, copper or the like.

Preferably, also, the cooling plate is formed of two spaced-apart sheets of material secured together in sealing engagement at the peripheral edges thereof.

The dividing plate is, preferably, connected between the two sheets of material forming the cooling plate and extends for a major portion of the length thereof along the longitudinal axis of the cooling plate.

Preferably, the source of cold energy is one or more thermo-electric heat pump devices.

Preferably, also, the or each thermo-electric heat pump device comprises a thermopile disposed between a cold plate and a hot plate and the cold plate is secured to the external surface of the cooling plate.

The hot plate of the or each thermo-electric device is, preferably, secured to a heat sink.

Preferably, the heat sink is provided with a fluid flow path through which cooling fluid is circulated.

Preferably, the fluid flow path is formed within the heat sink and may be of a square wave form or sinusoidal wave form in plan view.

Preferably, also, the cooling fluid is circulated through the heat sink by pump means.

The cooling fluid is, preferably, circulated through a heat exchanger or radiator by the pump means to cool the fluid prior to re-circulation of the fluid through the heat sink.

According to another aspect of this invention, a beverage storage or vending machine comprises a cooling apparatus according to said one aspect of this invention wherein the beverages are stored on the cooling plate.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings of which Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a cooling apparatus; Figure 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a cooling plate of the apparatus; and Figure 3 is a diagrammatic plan view of a heat sink.

Referring now to the drawings, a cooling apparatus indicated generally at 10 for use in a beverage dispensing, vending or storage machine where, for example, cans of drinks have to be kept cool, comprises a cooling plate 12 having two thermo-electric heat pump devices 14 of the Peltier effect type mounted thereon.

Each device 14 consists of a thermopile (not shown) formed of an array of thermocouples each consisting of P-type and N-type elements connected electrically in series which is disposed between a cold plate (not shown) and a hot plate (not shown). The passage of an electric current through the thermopile causes the transfer of heat from the cold plate to the hot plate of the device 14.

The cold plate of each device 14 is connected in thermal contact with the cooling plate 12 and the hot plate of each device 14 is connected to a heat sink 16.

The heat sink 16 is formed of a material of high thermal conductivity, such as aluminium or copper, and has a fluid flow passage 18 formed therein. The passage 18 is of a square wave form shape or, alternatively of sinusoidal wave form shape (not shown) in plan view and extends between an inlet 20 and an outlet 22. A liquid coolant is pumped through the passage 18 in the heat sink 16 to effect cooling thereof by a pump 24.

The pump 24 draws the liquid coolant from the outlet 22 of the heat sink 16 and circulates the coolant in the direction of the arrows 26 via a heat exchanger or radiator 28 back to the inlet 20 and thence through the passage 18. This forced flow liquid cooling of the heat sink 16 not only improves the rate of heat extraction from the heat sink 16, but also improves the rate of heat extraction from the cold plates of the devices 12.

The cooling plate 12 is formed of two spaced-apart sheets of material having a high thermal conductivity such as, aluminium or copper and the cold plates of the devices 14 are secured in thermal contact with the external surface of the lower sheet. The peripheral edges of the two sheets are connected together in sealing engagement to form a hollow interior constituting a fluid flow path 30.

A dividing plate 32 is connected between the upper and lower sheets of the cooling plate 12 and extends for a major portion of the length of the cooling plate 12 along the longitudinal axis thereof.

The cooling plate 14 is mounted in the dispensing, vending or storage machine so that it is inclined at an angle with the devices 14 at the upper end thereof and on one side of the longitudinal axis of the plate 12. This disposition of the devices 14 and the inclination of the plate 12 causes fluid, such as brine contained in the interior of the plate 12, to flow under the action of convection around the flow path 30 in the direction of the arrows 34. This flow of fluid around the flow path 30 enables the devices 14 to effect cooling of the entire plate 12 to a temperature suitable for the storage of beverages, particularly canned drinks, which are located on the upper surface of the cooling plate 12.

In a modification, the cooling effect of the devices 14 can be further improved by providing pump means for pumping the brine around the flow path 30 and this modification can also be used in applications where it is not possible or desirable to incline the cooling plate 12 at angle.

Although the above described cooling apparatus is particularly suitable for use in machines for the dispensing, vending or storage of canned beverages, it can be used for other purposes without departing from the scope of this invention.

Claims

What we claim is:

1. A cooling apparatus comprising a source of cold energy mounted on a cooling plate wherein the cooling plate includes fluid circulation means for distributing the cold energy from the source over the area of the plate.

2. A cooling apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the cooling plate is hollow and a fluid flow path is formed therein.

3. A cooling apparatus according to Claim 2, wherein the ource of cold energy is mounted on the cooling plate on one zide of the longitudinal axis thereof and the fluid flow path extends from the position of the source of cold energy on one side of the longitudinal axis of the coo plate and returns to the same position via the other side of the longitudinal axis of the cooling plate.

4. A cooling apparatus according to Claim 3, wherein the cooling plate has a dividing plate extending for a major portion of the length of the cooling plate to divide said one side of the cooling plate from said other side thereof hilst permitting fluid communication between said sides at the ends thereof to form the outward and return paths of the fluid flow path.

5. A cooling apparatus according to any one of the preceding claim, wherein the cooling plate is inclined at an angle to the horizontal with the source of cold energy disposed at or adjacent to the upper end of the plate so that fluid flows around the flow path under the action of convection.

B. A cooling apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein pump means is provided to circulate fluid around the fluid flow path.

7. A cooling apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cooling plate is formed of material having a high thermal conductivity.

P A cooling apparatus according to Claim 7, wherein the material from which the cooling plate is formed is a!uini or copper.

9. A cooling apparatus cording to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cooling plate is formed of two spaced-apart sheets of material secured together in sealing engagement at the peripheral edges thereof.

10. A cooling apparatus according to Claim 4 and Claim 9, wherein the dividing plate is connected between the two sheets of material forming the cooling plate and extends for a major portion of the length thereof along the longitudinal axis of the cooling plate.

11. A cooling apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the source of cold energy is one or more thermo-electric heat pump devices.

12. A cooling apparatus according to Claim 11, wherein the or each thermo-electric heat pump device comprises a thermopile disposed between a cold plate and a hot plate and the cold plate is secured to the external surface of the cooling plate.

13. A cooling apparatus according to Claim 12, wherein the hot plate of the or each thermo-electric device is secured to a heat sink.

14. A cooling apparatus according to Claim 13, wherein the heat sink is provided with a fluid flow path through which cooling fluid is circulated.

15. A cooling apparatus according to Claim 14, wherein the fluid flow path is formed within the heat sink.

18. A cooling apparatus according to Claim 14 or Claim 1', wherein the fluid flow path is of a square wave form in plan view.

17. A cooling apparatus according to Claim 14 or Claim l=., wherein the fluid flow path is of a sinusoidal wave form in plan view.

1S. A cooling apparatus according to any one of Claims 14 to 17, wherein the cooling fluid is circulated through the heat sink by pump means.

19. A cooling apparatus according to Claim 18, wherein the cooling fluid is circulated through a heat exchanger or radiator by the pump means to cool the fluid prior to re-circulation of the fluid through theheat sink.

20. A beverage storage or vending machine comprising a cooling apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the beverages are stored on the cooling plate.

21. A cooling apparatus constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated by, the accompanying drawings 22. A beverage storage or vending machine constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore described.