Variable capacity modular refrigeration system for kitchens

Abstract

A refrigeration appliance system for a residential kitchen having multiple separate refrigerating modules and a single, continuously operating variable capacity central cooling unit with a variable speed compressor for chilling a cooling medium. A cooling medium circuit supplies cooling medium to the plurality of refrigerating modules from the central cooling unit. Flow control devices control flow of cooling medium to the refrigerating modules. A control circuit controls the central cooling unit and the temperature in the refrigerating modules. The refrigerating modules can be refrigerator, freezer or refrigerator freezer modules. The cooling medium can be air, cooling liquid or refrigerant. A below freezing freezer module having an insulated freezer cabinet, a freezer compressor, a freezer condenser and a freezer evaporator can be combined with the refrigeration appliance system for providing 0° F. freezer storage without requiring the central cooling unit to provide 0° F. cooling medium.

1 . A refrigeration appliance system constructed and arranged for use in a residential kitchen and other rooms in a dwelling comprising:
 a plurality of separate refrigerating modules each having:
 an insulated cabinet having an opening for access to the interior of the cabinet; 
 at least one insulated door for covering and uncovering an opening in the insulated cabinet; 
 an apparatus for receiving a cooling medium to cool the interior of the refrigerating module; 
 at least one temperature sensor for sensing the temperature in the module; and 
 at least one temperature selector for selecting an operating temperature for the insulated refrigerating module; 
   a single, continuously operating variable capacity central cooling unit for chilling a cooling medium comprising a variable speed compressor, a condenser, a variable speed condenser fan and a controller;   a cooling medium circuit connecting the central cooling unit and the plurality of refrigerating modules to supply cooling medium from the central cooling unit to the plurality of refrigerating modules, and to return cooling medium to the central cooling unit from the refrigerating modules;   a plurality of cooling medium flow control devices connected in the cooling medium circuit for controlling flow of cooling medium to each of the refrigerating modules;   a control circuit connecting the temperature sensors, the temperature selectors and the cooling medium flow control devices for the plurality of refrigerating modules with the controller, said controller including:
 a first portion to adjust the capacity of the central cooling unit in response to the aggregate cooling load of the plurality of refrigerating modules in order to supply sufficient cooling medium to cool the plurality of refrigerating modules to the respective selected operating temperatures, and 
 a second portion to adjust the volume of cooling medium directed to respective ones of the refrigerating modules to maintain the selected operating temperature in the respective refrigerating modules. 
   
   
   
       2 . The refrigeration appliance system of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling medium is air; the cooling medium circuit comprises insulated ducts connecting the central cooling unit and the plurality of refrigerating modules for supplying chilled air to the plurality of refrigerating modules and returning air from the refrigerating modules to the central cooling unit; the apparatus for receiving a cooling medium comprises air inlets from the insulated ducts leading to the respective refrigerating modules and air outlets leading from the respective refrigerating modules to the insulated ducts; and the cooling medium flow control devices comprise a baffle for each refrigerating module for controlling the flow of chilled air flowing into the refrigerating module through the air inlet; the central cooling unit further comprises an evaporator and an expansion device with feedback based on the refrigerating system load connected in a refrigerant circuit with the variable speed compressor and condenser and arranged to chill the cooling medium air to a temperature below the lowest selected refrigerating module operating temperature and at least one evaporator fan to circulate the chilled cooling medium air through the insulated ducts to respective refrigerating modules; and the second portion of the controller is arranged to operate the baffles of the respective refrigerating modules to control the flow of chilled air flowing into the respective refrigerating modules to maintain the respective selected operating temperatures. 
   
   
       3 . The refrigeration appliance system of  claim 2 , wherein the baffles are adjustable baffles adjustable between open and closed positions to permit or block flow of chilled air into the respective refrigerating modules, and wherein the evaporator fan is an adjustable speed fan to vary the flow of chilled air into refrigerating modules having an open adjustable baffle. 
   
   
       4 . The refrigeration appliance system of  claim 2 , wherein the adjustable baffles are variably movable between open and closed positions to permit, block and vary the flow of chilled air into the respective refrigerating modules. 
   
   
       5 . The refrigeration appliance system of  claim 2 , wherein the refrigerating modules are above freezing refrigerator modules. 
   
   
       6 . The refrigeration appliance system of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling medium is a liquid coolant; the cooling medium circuit includes insulated conduits leading from the central cooling unit to each of the refrigerating modules for supplying liquid coolant to each of the refrigerating modules and for returning liquid coolant to the central cooling unit; the apparatus for receiving cooling medium for the respective refrigerating modules comprises a heat exchanger in communication with the interior of the insulated cabinet; and the cooling medium flow control devices comprise a valve for controlling the flow of liquid coolant to the heat exchanger; the central cooling unit further comprises a chilled liquid evaporator and an expansion device with feedback based on the refrigerating system load connected in a refrigerant circuit with the variable speed compressor and condenser and arranged to chill the liquid coolant to a temperature below the lowest selected refrigerating module operating temperature, and a pump arranged to circulate the liquid coolant to the respective refrigerating modules; and the second portion of the controller is arranged to operate the valves to control the flow of chilled liquid coolant through the respective refrigerating module heat exchangers to maintain the respective selected operating temperatures. 
   
   
       7 . The refrigeration appliance system of  claim 6 , wherein the valves are on-off valves to control flow of liquid coolant to the respective refrigerating modules, and the pump is a variable speed pump and the first portion of the controller adjusts the flow rate of liquid coolant in the cooling medium circuit by controlling the speed of the variable speed pump. 
   
   
       8 . The refrigeration appliance system of  claim 6 , wherein each of the refrigerating modules further includes a variable speed heat exchanger fan arranged for circulating air over the heat exchanger in the insulated cabinet. 
   
   
       9 . The refrigeration appliance system of  claim 6 , wherein the refrigerating modules are above freezing refrigerator modules. 
   
   
       10 . The refrigeration appliance system of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling medium is a refrigerant; the cooling medium circuit includes insulated conduits leading from the central cooling unit to each of the refrigerating modules for supplying refrigerant to each of the refrigerating modules and for returning refrigerant to the central cooling unit; the apparatus for receiving cooling medium comprises a refrigerating module evaporator in communication with the interior of the insulated cabinet and a refrigerating module evaporator fan arranged to circulate air chilled by the refrigerating module evaporator in the insulated cabinet; the cooling medium flow control devices comprise expansion devices with feedback based on load for adjusting flow of refrigerant to the refrigerating module evaporators of the respective refrigerating modules; and the second portion of the controller is arranged to control the expansion valves for the respective refrigerating modules to maintain the respective selected operating temperatures. 
   
   
       11 . The refrigeration appliance system of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the refrigerating modules comprises a refrigerator freezer module having an above freezing refrigerator compartment, a below freezing freezer compartment, an insulated door for the refrigerator compartment, an insulated door for the freezer compartment and an evaporator compartment, and wherein the refrigerating module evaporator and refrigerating module evaporator fan are positioned in the evaporator compartment and are arranged to supply chilled air to the freezer compartment; wherein the refrigerator freezer module further comprises a compartment separator including a passage arranged for the flow of chilled air to the refrigerator compartment from a source of chilled air, a return passage for flow of air from the refrigerator compartment to the evaporator compartment, and an adjustable refrigerator compartment damper for controlling flow of chilled air to the refrigerator compartment, wherein the at least one temperature sensor is arranged to sense the temperature of the refrigerator compartment and the at least one temperature selector selects the operating temperature for the refrigerator compartment, and wherein the second portion of the controller maintains the selected operating temperature of the refrigerator compartment, and adjustment of the refrigerant compartment damper controls the temperature of the freezer compartment. 
   
   
       12 . The refrigeration appliance system of  claim 11  wherein the at least one temperature sensor comprises a first temperature sensor for the refrigerator compartment and a second temperature sensor for the freezer compartment, and the at least one temperature selector comprises a first temperature selector for the refrigerator compartment and second temperature selector for the freezer compartment. 
   
   
       13 . The refrigeration appliance system of  claim 12 , wherein the second portion of the controller responds to the second temperature sensor and second temperature selector to control the expansion device to control the volume of refrigerant flowing to the refrigerating module evaporator, and responds to the first temperature sensor and the first temperature selector to control the adjustable refrigerator compartment damper to control the flow of chilled air to the refrigerator compartment respectively to maintain the selected temperatures for the refrigerator compartment and the freezer compartment. 
   
   
       14 . The refrigeration appliance system of  claim 11 , wherein the refrigerator compartment damper is manually adjustable by the operator to adjust the freezer compartment operating temperature. 
   
   
       15 . The refrigeration appliance system of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the refrigerating modules is an above freezing refrigerator module. 
   
   
       16 . The refrigeration appliance system of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the refrigerating modules is a below freezing freezer module. 
   
   
       17 . The refrigeration appliance system of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the refrigerating modules is an above freezing refrigerator module and one of the refrigerating modules is a below freezing freezer module. 
   
   
       18 . The refrigeration appliance system of  claim 1 , wherein the refrigerating modules are above freezing refrigerator modules. 
   
   
       19 . The refrigeration appliance system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the refrigerating modules is an above freezing refrigerator module and at least one of the refrigerating modules is a below freezing freezer module. 
   
   
       20 . The refrigeration appliance system of  claim 1 , wherein the refrigerating modules can be selectively operated at different operating temperatures.