Cooling system

Abstract

Cooling element, with multiple cooling disks ( 16, 17 ) arranged in an array to restrict flow interspaces for the air to be cooled. Cooling disks ( 16 ) extending to the inlet side for the air to be cooled, and shorter cooling disks ( 17 ) not extending to the inlet side, are arranged alternating order.

1 .- 4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . A system for cooling objects by chilling ambient air, comprising:
 a cooling element supported in ambient air over objects to be cooled, said cooling element having
 an ambient air inlet at an elevation above an elevation of a cooled air outlet, whereby a cooling space is provided between said inlet and said outlet; 
 an upper tube spanning the cooling space adjacent the inlet and a lower tube spanning the cooling space adjacent the outlet, 
 a first array of a plurality of laterally spaced apart cooling lamella extending in said cooling space from the outlet to the inlet and connected to the upper and lower tubes, 
 a second array of a plurality of laterally spaced apart cooling lamella extending in said cooling space part way from the outlet to the inlet and connected to the lower tube but not the upper tube, 
 wherein the lamella of the first and second arrays are arranged such that relatively broader lateral interspaces are formed between lamella of the first array adjacent the inlet and relatively narrower lateral interspaces are formed between lamella of the first and second arrays adjacent the outlet; 
   a cooling medium passing through the tubes for cooling the lamella and thereby cooling the air in the cooling space;   whereby said cooling of the air in said cooling space decreases the volume of the air in said space, thereby inducing a continuous, gravity driven passive flow of increasingly cooled air which falls downward through said cooling space from the inlet to the outlet, where the cooled air exits the cooling element and falls onto the objects.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the cooled air falls straight down toward the objects, from the outlet. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the lamella of the second array are arranged in alternating order with the lamella of the first array. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein at least two lamella of the second array are arranged between successive lamella of the first array. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein
 the lamella of the first array extend a first distance through the cooling space,   the lamella of the second array extend a second, shorter distance through the cooling space, and   a third array of a plurality of laterally spaced apart cooling lamella extend in said cooling space from the outlet part way to the inlet a shorter distance than said second distance, and are connected to the lower tube but not the upper tube, thereby providing stepwise narrowing of interspaces.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the objects are goods. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein
 the lamella of the first array extend a first distance through the cooling space, and   the lamella of the second array extend a second, shorter distance through the cooling space, which second distance is one-half the first distance.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein all interspaces at the outlet are in the range of 2.5-3 millimeters. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the cooling element is suspended over goods to be cooled. 
     
     
         14 . A system for cooling an object by chilling ambient air, comprising:
 a cooling element suspended in ambient air over an object to be cooled, said cooling element having
 horizontally spaced apart, vertically extending lateral end sections, each lateral end section having an upper end and a lower end, wherein air in said space between the end sections is to be cooled, 
 an ambient air inlet at the upper end and a cooled air outlet at the lower end, 
 an upper tube supported by the end sections and horizontally spanning the space adjacent the inlet and a lower tube supported by the end sections and horizontally spanning the space adjacent the outlet, 
 a first array of a plurality of horizontally spaced apart, vertically oriented cooling lamella extending in said space from the outlet to the inlet and connected to the upper and lower tubes, 
 a second array of a plurality of horizontally spaced apart, vertically oriented cooling lamella extending in said space from the outlet part way to the inlet and connected to the lower tube but not the upper tube, 
 wherein the lamella of the first and second arrays are horizontally arranged such that relatively broader interspaces are formed between successive lamella of the first array adjacent the inlet and relatively narrower interspaces are formed between lamella of the first and second array adjacent the outlet; 
   a cooling medium passing through the tubes for cooling the lamella and thereby cooling the air in the space between the end sections;   whereby said cooling of the air in said space increases the specific weight of the air in said space, thereby inducing a continuous, gravity driven passive flow of increasingly cooled air which falls downward through said space from the inlet to the outlet, where the cooled air exits the cooling element and falls onto the goods.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein all interspaces at the outlet are in the range of 2.5-3 millimeters. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the cooling element is stationary over the object. 
     
     
         17 . A system for cooling goods by chilling ambient air, comprising:
 a stationary cooling element suspended in ambient air over goods to be cooled, said cooling element having
 horizontally spaced apart, vertically extending lateral end sections, each lateral end section having an upper end and a lower end, wherein air in said space between the end sections is to be cooled, 
 an ambient air inlet at the upper end and a cooled air outlet at the lower end, 
 an upper tube supported by the end sections and horizontally spanning the space adjacent the inlet and a lower tube supported by the end sections and horizontally spanning the space adjacent the outlet, 
 a first plurality of horizontally spaced apart, vertically longer cooling disks extending in said space from the outlet to the inlet and connected to the upper and lower tubes, 
 a second plurality of horizontally spaced apart, vertically shorter cooling disks extending in said space from the outlet part way to the inlet and connected to the lower tube but not the upper tube, 
 wherein the longer and shorter disks are horizontally arranged in arrays such that relatively broader interspaces are formed between successive cooling disks adjacent the inlet and relatively narrower interspaces are formed between successive disks adjacent the outlet; 
   a cooling medium passing through the tubes for cooling the disks and thereby cooling the air in the space between the end sections;   whereby said cooling of the air in said space induces a continuous, gravity driven passive flow of increasingly cooled air which falls downward through said space from the inlet to the outlet, where the cooled air exits the cooling element and falls onto the goods.