Method and Device for Temperature Regulation in Refrigeration Units Using Multiple Targeted Readings

Abstract

Disclosed are refrigeration monitoring and regulation systems and techniques. Air temperature sensors, probe temperature sensors, simulated refrigerated items and relay controllers are described to monitor and control a refrigeration unit while conserving energy and prolonging equipment life compared to conventional refrigeration units.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refrigeration monitoring and regulation system for installation in a refrigeration unit, said system comprising:
 a) one or more air temperature sensors that are able to be affixed within said refrigeration unit for providing air temperature data;   b) one or more refrigerated item temperature sensors that are able to be affixed within said refrigeration unit for providing refrigerated items temperature data, wherein said temperature sensors are non-contact sensors or contact sensors on which the consumables may be laid upon; and   c) a processing device connected by wire or wireless electronic connection to each of said one or more air temperature sensors and said one or more refrigerated item temperature sensors; and   d) one or more relays, connected by wire or wireless electronic connection to said processing device, wherein said one or more relays regulate cooling mechanisms of said refrigeration unit, wherein said processing device receives said air temperature data and said refrigerated item temperature data at set or random time intervals, and based on said data determines whether to turn on or to turn off said relays, and, wherein said processing device has a programmable interface allowing a user or external program to establish one or more set parameters for said refrigeration unit.   
     
     
         2 . A refrigeration monitoring and regulation system for installation in a refrigeration unit, said system comprising:
 a) one or more air temperature sensors that are able to be affixed within said refrigeration unit for providing air temperature data;   b) one or more simulant temperature sensors that are able to be affixed within said refrigeration unit for providing simulant temperature data, wherein said simulant temperature sensors are affixed to a synthetic or natural material simulating consumables or non-consumables to be temperature-controlled in said refrigeration unit, wherein said simulant temperature sensors include surface temperature sensors and internal temperature sensors, and wherein said simulant temperature sensors provide temperature data from both said internal and surface portions of said synthetic or natural material; wherein there are one or more simulant temperature sensors embedded within the simulant to measure temperatures at various distances from the center and the surface of the simulant; and   c) a processing device connected by wire or wireless electronic connection to each of said one or more air temperature sensors and said one or more refrigerated item temperature sensors; and   d) one or more relays, connected by wire or wireless electronic connection to said processing device, wherein said one or more relays regulate the cooling mechanisms of the refrigeration unit, wherein said processing device receives said air temperature data and said simulant temperature data at set or random time intervals, and based on said data determines whether to turn on or to turn off said relays, and, wherein said processing device has a programmable interface allowing a user or external program to establish one or more set parameters for said refrigeration unit.   
     
     
         3 . The refrigeration monitoring and regulation system according to  claim 1 , wherein the processing device is a desktop computer, portable computer, rack-mounted computer, industrial computer, single-board computer or a single-board microcontroller. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigeration monitoring and regulation system according to  claim 2 , wherein the processing device is a desktop computer, portable computer, rack-mounted computer, industrial computer, single-board computer or a single-board microcontroller. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigeration monitoring and regulation system according to  claim 1 , wherein said one or more air temperature sensors and one or more of said refrigerated item temperature sensors are one or more combination air and refrigerated item temperature sensors. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigeration monitoring and regulation system according to  claim 2 , wherein said one or more air temperature sensors and one or more of said simulant temperature sensors are one or more combination of air and simulant temperature sensors. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigeration monitoring and regulation system according to  claim 1 , wherein said one or more set parameters include air temperature within said refrigeration unit. 
     
     
         8 . The refrigeration monitoring and regulation system according to  claim 2 , wherein said one or more set parameters include air temperature outside said refrigeration unit. 
     
     
         9 . The refrigeration monitoring and regulation system according to  claim 1 , wherein said wireless electronic connection to said processing device is by Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11), Bluetooth™, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), IEEE 802.15.4, Zigbee™, Z-Wave™, WiMesh™, or proprietary wireless protocols. 
     
     
         10 . The refrigeration monitoring and regulation system according to  claim 2 , wherein said wireless electronic connection to said processing device is by Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11), Bluetooth™, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), IEEE 802.15.4, Zigbee™, Z-Wave™, WiMesh™, or proprietary wireless protocols. 
     
     
         11 . The refrigeration monitoring and regulation system according to  claim 2 , wherein said synthetic or natural material or both simulates meat produce, vegetable produce, fruit produce, and/or combinations of meat, vegetable and/or fruit produce, alcoholic beverages, non-alcoholic beverages, or pharmaceuticals. 
     
     
         12 . The refrigeration monitoring and regulation system according to  claim 2 , wherein said synthetic or natural material or both has similar specific heat and thermal mass as a refrigerated item at a temperature range for said refrigerated item the material is simulating. 
     
     
         13 . The refrigeration monitoring and regulation system according to  claim 2 , wherein said synthetic or natural material or both is a wax, balsa wood, or a material that has a specific heat of around 0.8 BTU/lb° F. 
     
     
         14 . The refrigeration monitoring and regulation system according to  claim 2 , wherein said synthetic or natural material or both is solid plastic, cork, dry cement, or a material that has a specific heat of around 0.4 BTU/lb° F. 
     
     
         15 . A method for monitoring and regulation of a refrigeration unit comprising the steps of:
 installing a refrigeration monitoring and regulation system into said refrigeration unit, wherein said refrigeration monitoring and regulation system comprises one or more air temperature sensors that are able to be affixed within said refrigeration unit for providing air temperature data; one or more refrigerated item temperature sensors that are able to be affixed within said refrigeration unit for providing refrigerated items temperature data, wherein said refrigerated item temperature sensors are non-contact sensors or contact sensors on which the refrigerated items may be laid upon; and a processing device connected by wire or wireless electronic connection to each of said one or more air temperature sensors and said one or more refrigerated item temperature sensors; and one or more relays, connected by wire or wireless electronic connection to said processing device, wherein said one or more relays regulate the cooling mechanisms of the refrigeration unit, wherein said processing device receives said air temperature data and said refrigerated item temperature data at set or random time intervals, and based on said data determines whether to turn on or to turn off said relays, and, wherein said processing device has a programmable interface allowing a user or external program to establish one or more set parameters for said refrigeration unit; and   activating said refrigeration monitoring and regulation system installed in said refrigeration unit.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the processing device is a desktop computer, portable computer, rack-mounted computer, industrial computer, single-board computer or single-board microcontroller. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein said one or more air temperature sensors and one or more of said refrigerated item temperature sensors are one or more combination air and refrigerated item temperature sensors. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein said one or more set parameters include air temperature within said refrigeration unit. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein said wireless electronic connection to said processing device is by Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11), Bluetooth™, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), IEEE 802.15.4, Zigbee™, Z-Wave™, WiMesh™, or proprietary wireless protocols. 
     
     
         20 . A method for monitoring and regulation of a refrigeration unit for consumables comprising the steps of:
 installing a refrigeration monitoring and regulation system into said refrigeration unit, wherein said refrigeration monitoring and regulation system comprises one or more air temperature sensors that are able to be affixed within said refrigeration unit for providing air temperature data; one or more simulant temperature sensors that are able to be affixed within said refrigeration unit for providing refrigerated items temperature data, wherein said simulated temperature sensors are non-contact sensors or contact sensors on which said consumables may be laid upon; and a processing device connected by wire or wireless electronic connection to each of said one or more air temperature sensors and said one or more simulant temperature sensors; and one or more relays, connected by wire or wireless electronic connection to said processing device, wherein said one or more relays regulate the cooling mechanisms, wherein said processing device receives said air temperature data and said refrigerated item temperature data at set or random time intervals, and based on said data determines whether to turn on or to turn off said relays, and, wherein said processing device has a programmable interface allowing a user or external program to establish one or more set parameters for said refrigeration unit and   activating said refrigeration monitoring and regulation system installed in said refrigeration unit.