Reverse cycle defrost method and apparatus
First Claim
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1. A method of defrosting a crop storage facility refrigeration unit, the method comprising:
- refrigerating perishable crops in the refrigeration unit by moving air over the crops hi a first air direction and moving refrigerant in a first refrigerant direction;
detecting frost in the refrigeration unit; and
in response to detecting frost in the refrigeration unit, defrosting the refrigeration unit by moving the air over the crops in a second air direction and moving the refrigerant in a second refrigerant direction with the crops remaining in the refrigeration unit at a temperature sufficiently cool to avoid harm to the crops, wherein the first air direction is reverse with respect to the second air direction and the first refrigerant direction is reverse with respect to the second refrigerant direction.
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Abstract
Systems and methods for refrigerating crops and other goods and for defrosting a refrigeration system. A refrigerant is circulated between a condenser and a refrigerator to cool air in the refrigerator. Heat is removed from the refrigerant at the condenser. Periodically the cycle of refrigerant and air can be reversed to melt frost in the refrigerator. Frost can be detected by a sensing mechanism and the refrigerant and air cycles can be reversed in response to detecting the frost. The frost can be removed quickly without removing the goods from the refrigerant.
139 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method of defrosting a crop storage facility refrigeration unit, the method comprising:
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refrigerating perishable crops in the refrigeration unit by moving air over the crops hi a first air direction and moving refrigerant in a first refrigerant direction; detecting frost in the refrigeration unit; and in response to detecting frost in the refrigeration unit, defrosting the refrigeration unit by moving the air over the crops in a second air direction and moving the refrigerant in a second refrigerant direction with the crops remaining in the refrigeration unit at a temperature sufficiently cool to avoid harm to the crops, wherein the first air direction is reverse with respect to the second air direction and the first refrigerant direction is reverse with respect to the second refrigerant direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of operating a refrigeration unit having a condenser in fluid communication with a refrigerator, the method comprising:
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refrigerating goods stored in the refrigerator, wherein refrigerating the goods includes— flowing air through the condenser in a first air direction; and circulating a refrigerant through a conduit between the condenser and the refrigerator in a first refrigerant direction, wherein the refrigerant absorbs heat in the refrigerator and dissipates heat in the condenser; detecting frost in the refrigerator; and in response to detecting frost in the refrigerator, melting at least a portion of the frost without removing the goods from the refrigerator, wherein melting at least portion of the frost includes— flowing air through the condenser in a second air direction; and circulating the refrigerant through the conduit between the condenser and the refrigerator in a second refrigerant direction, wherein the second refrigerant direction is reversed with respect to the first refrigerant direction. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of defrosting a crop storage facility refrigeration unit, the method comprising:
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refrigerating crops in the refrigeration unit by moving air in a first air direction and moving refrigerant in a first refrigerant direction, wherein the refrigeration unit is in fluid communication with a condenser; detecting frost in the refrigeration unit; flowing air over the condenser in a second air direction; and in response to detecting frost in the refrigeration unit— defrosting the refrigeration unit by moving air in a third air direction and moving the refrigerant in a second refrigerant direction with the crops remaining in the refrigeration unit; and flowing air over the condenser in a fourth air direction opposite the second air direction, wherein the first air direction is opposite the third air direction and the first refrigerant direction is opposite the second refrigerant direction, wherein the condenser includes a first opening and a second opening, wherein the refrigeration unit further includes a first fan adjacent the first opening of the condenser and a second fan adjacent the second opening of the condenser, wherein flowing air over the condenser in the second air direction comprises operating the first fan in a first fan direction and operating the second fan in a second fan direction, and wherein flowing air over the condenser in the fourth air direction comprises operating the first fan in the second fan direction and operating the second fan in the first fan direction.
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19. A method of defrosting a crop storage facility refrigeration unit, the method comprising:
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refrigerating perishable goods in a refrigeration unit by moving air in a first air direction relative to the goods and moving refrigerant in a first refrigerant direction relative to a refrigerant conduit; flowing air over a condenser coupled to the refrigeration unit in a first air direction relative to the condenser; detecting frost in the refrigeration unit; and in response to detecting frost in the refrigeration unit; defrosting the refrigeration unit by moving air in a second air direction relative to the goods, wherein the second air direction relative to the goods is reversed with respect to the first air direction relative to the goods; flowing air over the condenser in a second air direction relative to the condenser, wherein the second air direction relative to the condenser is reversed with respect to the first air direction relative to the condenser; and moving refrigerant in a second refrigerant direction relative to the refrigerant conduit with the perishable goods remaining in the refrigeration unit, wherein the second refrigerant direction is reversed with respect to the first refrigerant direction. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for operating a crop storage facility refrigeration unit configured to hold perishable goods, comprising instructions stored thereon, that when executed on a processor, perform the steps of:
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moving air in the refrigeration unit in a first air direction relative to the goods and moving refrigerant in a first refrigerant direction relative to a refrigerant conduit; flowing air through a condenser in a first air direction relative to the condenser, wherein the condenser is in fluid communication with the refrigeration unit via the refrigerant conduit; detecting frost in the refrigeration unit; and in response to detecting frost in the refrigeration unit; defrosting the refrigeration unit by moving air in a second air direction relative to the goods, wherein the second air direction relative to the goods is reversed with respect to the first air direction relative to the goods; flowing air over the condenser in a second air direction relative to the condenser, wherein the second air direction relative to the condenser is reversed with respect to the first air direction relative to the goods; and moving the refrigerant in a second refrigerant direction relative to the refrigerant conduit with the perishable goods remaining in the refrigeration unit, wherein the second refrigerant direction is reversed with respect to the first refrigerant direction. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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27. A method of defrosting a crop storage facility refrigeration unit, the method comprising:
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receiving a flow of air into the refrigeration unit, the flow of air having a first air temperature and moving in a first air direction with respect to perishable crops stored in the refrigeration unit; circulating refrigerant in the refrigeration unit in a first refrigerant direction; detecting frost in the refrigeration unit; and in response to detecting frost in the refrigeration unit— reversing the flow of air from the first air direction to a second air direction with respect to the perishable crops, wherein the flow of air moving in the second air direction has a second air temperature greater than the first air temperature, and wherein the second air temperature is sufficiently low to avoid harm to the perishable crops; and reversing the circulation of refrigerant from the first refrigeration direction to a second refrigerant direction. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30)
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Specification