Cooling unit and refrigeration assembly

Abstract

An individual, customized individual cooling unit operably retainable to (i) a metallic container for holding chemicals, such as polyols/blowing agent mixture for use in the production of polyurethane foam to be cooled, wherein the container has an outer surface, and (ii) a refrigerator. The cooling unit has (a) a metallic thermal conductor having a first surface contractable with the container adjacent the container outer surface; and a second surface; (b) a thermal insulation layer adjacent the second surface; (c) coolant first conduit between the outer surface of the container and the thermal insulation layer, and having a coolant first inlet and a coolant first outlet; and (d) a retainer for retaining the cooling unit to the container outer surface. The cooling unit and the refrigerator provide for the storage of the chemical at a safe temperature in a convenient, clean manner, with minimum energy usage in temperature control.

1 . A cooling unit operably retainable to (i) a metallic container for holding chemicals to be cooled and having a container outer surface, and (ii) refrigeration means; said unit comprising
 (a) a metallic thermal conductor having a first surface contactable with said container adjacent said container outer surface; and a second surface   (b) a thermal insulation layer adjacent said second surface;   (c) coolant first conduit means between said outer surface of said container and said thermal insulation layer, and having coolant first inlet means and coolant first outlet means; and   (d) retaining means for retaining said unit to said container outer surface.   
   
   
       2 . A unit as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said coolant conduit means is within said thermal conductor between said conductor first surface and said second surface. 
   
   
       3 . A unit as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said container is a right-vertical cylinder and said first surface is arcuate and is intimately abutable with said container outer surface. 
   
   
       4 . A unit as claimed in  claim 3  wherein said arcuate surface extends between 20%-50% around the circumference of said container outer surface. 
   
   
       5 . A unit as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said retaining means comprises magnetic means retained to said unit. 
   
   
       6 . A unit as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said thermal insulation layer is selected from polyurethane foam, fiber glass and thermoplastic bubblepack material. 
   
   
       7 . A unit as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said thermal conductor is formed of a metal selected from iron, copper, aluminum and alloys thereof. 
   
   
       8 . A unit as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising coolant second conduit means comprising (i) coolant second inlet means in communication with said first inlet means, (ii) coolant second outlet means in communication with said first outlet means, (iii) refrigerant receiving means and refrigerant retaining means. 
   
   
       9 . A cooling assembly for cooling chemicals held in a container comprising a cooling unit as claimed in  claim 1  and a refrigeration means in communication with said coolant first conduit means. 
   
   
       10 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 9  wherein said unit further comprises coolant second conduit means comprising (i) coolant second inlet means in communication with said first inlet means, (ii) coolant second outlet means in communication with said first outlet means, (iii) refrigeration receiving means and refrigeration retaining means and said refrigeration means comprises connection means; in communication with said refrigerant receiving means and refrigerant returning means of said unit. 
   
   
       12 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 10  comprising a plurality of said connection means. 
   
   
       13 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 9  further comprising temperature probe means for determining the temperature of said chemicals. 
   
   
       14 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 9  having dimensions and weight as to be manually portable. 
   
   
       15 . Apparatus comprising an assembly as claimed in  claim 9  and a metallic container containing chemicals, said container having a container outer surface, and wherein said retaining means retains said cooling unit to said container outer surface. 
   
   
       16 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 15  further comprising an insulation covering on said metallic container.