Strategic modular refrigeration system with linear compressors

Abstract

A modular commercial refrigeration unit constructed and arranged for placement in strategic proximity to a plurality of associated product cooling zones within a shopping area includes a refrigeration rack proximate to a shopping area and configured to accommodate maximum refrigeration loads of the associated product cooling zones. The refrigeration rack has an optimum footprint. The refrigeration rack is constructed to support components of a closed refrigeration circuit including associated high side and low side refrigerant delivery and suction means extending from the rack and being operatively connected to a plurality of evaporators for cooling the associated product cooling zones. The modular refrigeration unit also includes a linear compressor and a cooling source remote from the refrigeration unit that provides a cooling relationship with a condenser for providing optimum condensing and efficiency of the evaporators in cooling the associated product cooling zones.

1 . A modular commercial refrigeration unit constructed and arranged for placement in strategic proximity to a plurality of associated product cooling zones within a shopping area, the modular refrigeration unit comprising: 
 a refrigeration rack proximate to a shopping area and configured to accommodate maximum refrigeration loads of the associated product cooling zones and having an optimum footprint,    wherein the refrigeration rack is constructed to support components of a closed refrigeration circuit including associated high side and low side refrigerant delivery and suction means extending from the rack and being operatively connected to a plurality of evaporators for cooling the associated product cooling zones;    a linear compressor; and    a cooling source remote from the refrigeration unit provides a cooling relationship with a condenser for providing optimum condensing and efficiency of the evaporators in cooling the associated product cooling zones.    
   
   
       2 . The modular refrigeration unit of  claim 1  wherein the closed refrigeration circuit includes a plurality of linear compressors.  
   
   
       3 . The modular refrigeration unit of  claim 2  wherein the linear compressors are connected in parallel.  
   
   
       4 . The modular refrigeration unit of  claim 1  wherein the linear compressor provides a variable refrigeration capacity balanced to the refrigeration loads imposed by the associated product cooling zones.  
   
   
       5 . The modular refrigeration unit of  claim 4  wherein the variable refrigeration capacity is in the range of about 30% and 100%.  
   
   
       6 . The modular refrigeration unit of  claim 1  wherein the linear compressor comprises a free-piston linear compressor including dual-opposing pistons.  
   
   
       7 . The modular refrigeration unit of  claim 1 , and further comprising a controller to control the operation of the linear compressor wherein the controller comprises a sensor configured to sense a parameter representative of an operating condition associated with the modular refrigeration unit, and wherein the controller is operable to control the linear compressor based at least in part on the sensed parameter.  
   
   
       8 . The modular refrigeration unit of  claim 7  wherein the linear compressor comprises a free-piston linear compressor comprising dual-opposing pistons, and wherein the controller is operable to control the linear compressor by being further operable to control the stroke of the pistons for varying the effective displaced volume of refrigerant based at least in part on the sensed parameter.  
   
   
       9 . The modular refrigeration unit of  claim 1  wherein the linear compressor is located remote from the shopping area.  
   
   
       10 . The modular refrigeration unit of  claim 1  wherein the linear compressor is mounted on the refrigeration rack.  
   
   
       11 . The modular refrigeration unit of  claim 1 , and further comprising a condenser connected between the linear compressor and receiver means of the refrigeration circuit.  
   
   
       12 . The modular refrigeration unit of  claim 11  wherein the condenser is mounted on the refrigeration rack.  
   
   
       13 . The modular refrigeration unit of  claim 11  wherein the condenser is air cooled.  
   
   
       14 . The modular refrigeration unit of  claim 1  wherein the cooling source provides a heat exchange relationship with the condenser for providing optimum condensing and efficiency of the evaporators in cooling the associated product cooling zones.  
   
   
       15 . A modular refrigeration system comprising: 
 at least two refrigerated fixtures having first closely adjacent locations in a shopping area;    at least one evaporator coil for cooling the refrigerated fixtures to maintain products therein within a predetermined temperature range;    a linear compressor having a second location in close proximity to the refrigerated fixtures;    a condenser connected together with the linear compressor and the evaporator coils to form a closed loop refrigeration circuit;    a heat exchange device located remote from the shopping area for transferring heat to an exterior atmosphere; and    a closed heat transfer loop extending between the closed loop refrigeration circuit and the remote environment and interconnecting the heat exchange device and the condenser in continuous communication to transfer heat from the condenser to the heat exchange device.    
   
   
       16 . The refrigeration system of  claim 15  wherein the second location is in the shopping area closely adjacent to the refrigerated fixtures.  
   
   
       17 . The refrigeration system of  claim 15  wherein the second location is remote from the shopping area.  
   
   
       18 . The refrigeration system of  claim 15  wherein the closed loop refrigeration circuit includes a plurality of linear compressors.  
   
   
       19 . The refrigeration system of  claim 18  wherein the linear compressors are connected in parallel.  
   
   
       20 . The refrigeration system of  claim 15  wherein the linear compressor provides a variable refrigeration capacity balanced to the refrigeration loads imposed by the associated refrigerated fixtures.  
   
   
       21 . The refrigeration system of  claim 20  wherein the variable refrigeration capacity is in the range of about 30% and 100%.  
   
   
       22 . The refrigeration system of  claim 20  wherein the linear compressor comprises a free-piston linear compressor including dual-opposing pistons.  
   
   
       23 . The refrigeration system of  claim 22  wherein the variable refrigeration capacity is controlled by varying stroke of the pistons.  
   
   
       24 . The refrigeration system of  claim 15 , and further comprising a controller coupled to the linear compressor, the controller comprising a sensor configured to sense a parameter representative of an operating condition associated with the refrigerated fixtures, and wherein the controller is operable to control the linear compressor based at least in part on the sensed parameter.  
   
   
       25 . A commercial refrigeration network comprising: 
 a first modular refrigeration system unit in close strategic proximity to a first refrigerated product zone, the first modular refrigeration system unit including a first refrigeration rack comprising first closed refrigeration circuit components including a linear compressor, high side receiver means and associated high side and low side refrigerant delivery, and suction means operatively connected to a first evaporator for cooling the first refrigerated zone, and the first modular refrigeration system unit also including a first condenser connected between the linear compressor and receiver means of the first closed refrigeration circuit;    at least one other modular refrigeration system unit in close strategic proximity to an associated other refrigerated product zone, and including an other refrigeration rack comprising other closed refrigeration circuit components including a linear compressor, high side receiver means and associated high side and low side refrigerant delivery, and suction means operatively connected to an other evaporator for cooling the other refrigerated zone, and the other modular refrigeration system unit also including an other condenser connected between the linear compressor and receiver means of the other closed refrigeration circuit; and    a cooling source provides a cooling relationship with the first and other condensers for the respective first and other refrigeration system units.    
   
   
       26 . The refrigeration network of  claim 25  wherein the first and other refrigerated product zones are located within a shopping area at spaced locations therein, and the dedicated first and other refrigeration racks are closely associated with the respective product zones adjacent to their respective locations.  
   
   
       27 . The refrigeration network of  claim 25  wherein the refrigerated product zones comprise a plurality of merchandisers located in the shopping arena, the plurality of merchandisers comprising: 
 first merchandisers incorporating the first evaporator and associated first refrigerant control means and first refrigeration sensing means; and    other merchandisers incorporating the other evaporator and associated other refrigerant control means and other refrigeration sensing means.    
   
   
       28 . The refrigeration network of  claim 25  wherein at least one of the modular refrigeration system units includes a plurality of linear compressors.  
   
   
       29 . The refrigeration network of  claim 28  wherein the linear compressors are connected in parallel.  
   
   
       30 . The refrigeration network of  claim 25  wherein the linear compressors provide a variable refrigeration capacity balanced to the refrigeration loads imposed by the associated refrigerated zones.  
   
   
       31 . The refrigeration network of  claim 30  wherein the variable refrigeration capacity is in the range of about 30% and 100%.  
   
   
       32 . The refrigeration network of  claim 25  wherein each modular refrigeration system unit further comprises a controller coupled to the linear compressor, the controller comprising a sensor configured to sense a parameter representative of an operating condition associated with the modular refrigeration unit, and wherein the controller is operable to control the linear compressor based at least in part on the sensed parameter.  
   
   
       33 . The refrigeration network of  claim 32  wherein each linear compressor comprises a piston, and wherein the controller is operable to control the linear compressor by being further operable to control the stroke of the piston based at least in part on the sensed parameter.  
   
   
       34 . The refrigeration network of  claim 32  wherein each linear compressor comprises a free-piston linear compressor comprising dual-opposing pistons, and wherein the controller is operable to control the linear compressor by being further operable to control the stroke of the pistons for varying the effective displaced volume of refrigerant based at least in part on the sensed parameter.  
   
   
       35 . The refrigeration network of  claim 25  wherein the cooling source comprises a plurality of cooling sources, each cooling source mounted to a respective one of the first and other condensers.  
   
   
       36 . The refrigeration network of  claim 25  wherein the cooling source comprises a coolant circulating system having a plurality of heat exchanger circuits in heat exchange relationship with the respective first and other condensers for the respective first and other refrigeration system units, the coolant circulating system having at least one continuous cooling source for coolant in the circulating system.  
   
   
       37 . A commercial refrigeration network comprising: 
 a first refrigeration merchandiser comprising at least one first surface at least partially defining a first environmental space adapted to accommodate a commodity, first closed refrigeration circuit components including a free-piston linear compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, and an evaporator in fluid communication wherein the evaporator is in thermal communication with the environmental space to influence the temperature of the environmental space, and a first frame supporting the at least one first surface, the linear compressor and the evaporator;    at least one other refrigeration merchandiser comprising at least one other surface at least partially defining an other environmental space adapted to accommodate a commodity, other closed refrigeration circuit components including a free-piston linear compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, and an evaporator in fluid communication wherein the evaporator is in thermal communication with the environmental space to influence the temperature of the environmental space, and an other frame supporting the at least one other surface, the linear compressor and the evaporator; and    a cooling source provides a cooling relationship with the first and other condensers for the respective first and other refrigeration system units.    
   
   
       38 . The refrigeration network of  claim 37  wherein the first frame also supports the condenser and the expansion device and the other frame also supports the condenser and the expansion device.  
   
   
       39 . The refrigeration network of  claim 37  wherein at least one of the refrigeration merchandisers includes a plurality of linear compressors.  
   
   
       40 . The refrigeration network of  claim 39  wherein the linear compressors are connected in parallel.  
   
   
       41 . The refrigeration network of  claim 37  wherein the linear compressor provides a variable refrigeration capacity balanced to refrigeration loads imposed by the refrigeration merchandiser.  
   
   
       42 . The refrigeration network of  claim 41  wherein the variable refrigeration capacity is in the range of about 30% to 100%.  
   
   
       43 . The refrigeration network of  claim 41  wherein the linear compressor comprises dual-opposing pistons.  
   
   
       44 . The refrigeration network of  claim 43  wherein the variable refrigeration capacity is controlled by varying stroke of the pistons.  
   
   
       45 . The refrigeration network of  claim 37  wherein the cooling source comprises a plurality of cooling sources, each cooling source mounted to a respective one of the first and other condensers wherein the first and other condensers are air cooled.  
   
   
       46 . The refrigeration network of  claim 37  wherein the cooling source comprises a coolant circulating system having a fluid input line and a fluid output line in fluid communication with the respective first and other condensers for the respective first and other refrigeration merchandisers, the coolant circulating system having at least one continuous cooling source for coolant in the circulating system.