Refrigerated display cabinet including microchannel heat exchangers
A refrigerated merchandiser includes a product display area having multiple shelves. An air return passage is defined below the shelves. A first fan is disposed at a downstream end of the air return passage. An air distribution passage is connected to an outlet of the fan and is disposed behind the shelves. A top passage is disposed above the shelves. At least one microchannel evaporator at least partially surrounds the first fan. The at least one microchannel evaporator includes at least one bend.
1 . A refrigerated merchandiser comprising:
a product display area comprising a plurality of shelves;
an air return passage defined below the plurality of shelves;
a first fan disposed at a downstream end of the air return passage, wherein the first fan includes a first surface and a second surface, and wherein the first surface and the second surface are arranged on different positions along a circumference of the first fan, the circumference extending around an axis of rotation of the first fan;
an air distribution passage connected to an outlet of the first fan and disposed behind the plurality of shelves and a top passage disposed above the plurality of shelves;
at least one microchannel evaporator including a bend such that a valley is defined by a first section of the at least one microchannel evaporator on a first side of the bend, the bend, and a second section of the at least one microchannel evaporator on a second side of the bend, and wherein the first fan is disposed in the valley such that the at least one microchannel evaporator at least partially surrounds the first fan around a circumferential direction around the axis of rotation of the first fan with the first section facing the first surface of the first fan and the second section facing the second surface of the first fan, and the at least one microchannel evaporator defines a profile extending around multiple sides of the first fan;
wherein the at least one microchannel evaporator defines a flow profile at least partially matching a localized airflow generated by the first fan, and wherein the localized airflow is a swirl imparted on air exiting the first fan; and
wherein the localized airflow of the first fan is a swirl imparted on the airflow by the first fan.
2 . The refrigerated merchandiser of claim 1 , wherein the bend is a single continuous bend that extends upward toward the top passage.
3 . The refrigerated merchandiser of claim 1 , wherein the first section comprises a first straight portion and the second section comprises a second straight portion, the first straight portion being connected to the second straight portion via the bend.
4 . The refrigerated merchandiser of claim 1 , further comprising a second fan at the downstream end of the air return passage, wherein the at least one microchannel evaporator at least partially surrounds opposing sides of the second fan.
5 . The refrigerated merchandiser of claim 4 , wherein the at least one microchannel evaporator includes a first microchannel evaporator surrounding opposing sides of the first fan and a second microchannel evaporator surrounding opposing sides of the second fan.
6 . The refrigerated merchandiser of claim 5 , wherein an outlet of the first microchannel evaporator is connected to an inlet of the second microchannel evaporator such that the first and second microchannel evaporators are arranged in series.
7 . The refrigerated merchandiser of claim 5 , wherein each of the first and second microchannel evaporators are A-coil microchannel heat exchangers.
8 . The refrigerated merchandiser of claim 5 , wherein each of the first and second microchannel evaporators are defined by a single bend portion and a lack of straight portions.
9 . The refrigerated merchandiser of claim 1 , wherein the at least one microchannel evaporator is positioned relative to the first fan such that a physical orientation of the at least one microchannel evaporator matches localized airflows generated by the first fan, and wherein the localized airflows generated by the first fan are a swirl imparted on a general airflow by the first fan.
10 . The refrigerated merchandiser of claim 1 , wherein the first fan is an axial flow fan.
11 . The refrigerated merchandiser of claim 1 , wherein the at least one microchannel evaporator is configured to operate at a temperature of no less than 30° F. such that formation of frost on the at least one microchannel evaporator is substantially prevented.
12 . The refrigerated merchandiser of claim 1 , wherein the first surface of the first fan comprises a first side that faces the first section and the second surface of the first fan comprises a second side that faces the second section, and wherein the at least one microchannel evaporator has an inlet to the first section and an outlet from the second section, and wherein the first fan is disposed in the valley such that a third side of the first fan, which extends between the first side and the second side, faces the bend and a fourth side of the first fan, extending between the first side and the second side, faces opposite of the third side, and wherein the inlet and the outlet extend beyond the fourth side of the first fan.
13 . The refrigerated merchandiser of claim 1 , including a housing within which the plurality of shelves are received, and wherein the air return passage extends along a bottom of the housing, and wherein the bend extends upward toward the top passage and defines an apex of the valley, and wherein the first section, the apex, and the second section have a concave side and a convex side, and wherein the concave side faces the bottom of the housing while the housing is in an upright orientation.
14 . The refrigerated merchandiser of claim 13 , wherein the first fan faces a front opening of the housing.
15 . The refrigerated merchandiser of claim 1 , wherein the at least one microchannel evaporator is configured such that a first portion of an air flow exiting the first fan passes through the first side of the bend and a second portion of the air flow exiting the first fan passes through the second side of the bend, and wherein the first portion and the second portion of the air flow exiting the first fan are distinct portions of the air flow exiting the first fan.
16 . The refrigerated merchandiser of claim 1 , wherein the first section of the at least one microchannel evaporator on the first side of the bend and the second section of the at least one microchannel evaporator on the second side of the bend are directly connected to the bend such that the profile extends around opposing sides of the first fan.
17 . A refrigerated merchandiser comprising:
a product display area comprising a plurality of shelves;
an air return passage defined below the plurality of shelves;
a first fan disposed at a downstream end of the air return passage, wherein the first fan includes a first surface and a second surface, and wherein the first surface and the second surface are arranged on different positions along a circumference of the first fan, the circumference extending around an axis of rotation of the first fan;
an air distribution passage connected to an outlet of the first fan and disposed behind the plurality of shelves and a top passage disposed above the plurality of shelves;
at least one microchannel evaporator including a first bend such that a first valley is defined by a first section of the at least one microchannel evaporator on a first side of the first bend, the first bend, and a second section of the at least one microchannel evaporator on a second side of the first bend, and wherein the first fan is disposed in the first valley such that the at least one microchannel evaporator at least partially surrounds the first fan around a circumferential direction around the axis of rotation of the first fan with the first section facing the first surface of the first fan and the second section facing the second surface of the first fan, and the at least one microchannel evaporator defines a profile extending around multiple sides of the first fan;
a second fan at the downstream end of the air return passage, wherein the at least one microchannel evaporator at least partially surrounds opposing sides of the second fan; and
wherein the at least one microchannel evaporator comprises a single microchannel evaporator including the first bend defining the first valley, a second bend defining a second valley, and a third bend defining a third valley between said first bend and said second bend, and wherein the first valley comprises a first peak and the second valley comprises a second peak that each extend upward toward the top passage and the third bend extends downward toward the air return passage.
18 . The refrigerated merchandiser of claim 17 , further comprising a first straight portion connecting the first bend to the third bend, a second straight portion connecting the third bend to the second bend, a third straight portion extending from an inlet and connecting to the first bend, and a fourth straight portion extending from the second bend to an outlet.
19 . The refrigerated merchandiser of claim 17 , wherein the first bend is connected directly to the third bend and the third bend is connected directly to the second bend.
20 . A method for cooling a refrigerated merchandiser comprising:
driving air through at least one microchannel evaporator using at least one axial flow fan, and wherein the at least one axial flow fan includes a first surface and a second surface, and wherein the first surface and the second surface are arranged on different positions along a circumference of the at least one axial flow fan, the circumference extending around an axis of rotation of the at least one axial flow fan, the at least one microchannel evaporator including a bend such that a valley is defined by a first section of the at least one microchannel evaporator on a first side of the bend, the bend, and a second section of the at least one microchannel evaporator on a second side of the bend, and wherein the at least one axial flow fan is disposed in the valley such that the at least one microchannel evaporator defines a profile extending around multiple sides of the at least one axial flow fan with the first section facing the first surface of the at least one axial flow fan and the second section facing the second surface of the at least one axial flow fan, such that the at least one microchannel evaporator at least partially surrounds the at least one axial flow fan around a circumferential direction around the axis of rotation of the at least one axial flow fan; and
the at least one microchannel evaporator defining a flow profile at least partially matching a localized airflow generated by the at least one axial flow fan, and wherein the localized airflow is a swirl imparted on air exiting the at least one axial flow fan, and wherein the localized airflow of the at least one axial flow fan is a swirl imparted on the airflow by the at least one axial flow fan.
21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the at least one axial flow fan comprises a plurality of axial flow fans, and the at least one microchannel evaporator comprises a number of microchannel evaporators at least equal to the number of axial flow fans.
22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein each of the microchannel evaporators in the number of microchannel evaporators is series connected to at least one other microchannel evaporator in the number of microchannel evaporators.
23 . The method of claim 20 , further comprising providing an output of the at least one microchannel evaporator to an air distribution passage.
24 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the at least one microchannel evaporator is configured to operate at a temperature of no less than 30° F. such that formation of frost on the at least one microchannel evaporator is substantially prevented.
25 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the bend defines an apex of the valley, with the first section, the apex, and the second section having a concave side and a convex side, and the method including positioning the at least one microchannel evaporator in a housing, extending a top passage above a plurality of shelves positioned within the refrigerated merchandiser, extending an air return passage along a bottom of the housing, and positioning the concave side to face the bottom of the housing with the bend extending upwardly toward the top passage while the housing is in an upright orientation.
26 . The method of claim 25 , including positioning the at least one axial flow fan to face a front opening of the housing.
27 . A method for cooling a refrigerated merchandiser comprising:
driving air through at least one microchannel evaporator using at least one axial flow fan, and wherein the at least one axial flow fan includes a first surface and a second surface facing opposite the first surface, the at least one microchannel evaporator including a bend such that a valley is defined by a first section of the at least one microchannel evaporator on a first side of the bend, the bend, and a second section of the at least one microchannel evaporator on a second side of the bend, and wherein the at least one axial flow fan is disposed in the valley such that the at least one microchannel evaporator defines a profile extending around multiple sides of the at least one axial flow fan with the first section facing the first surface of the at least one axial flow fan and the second section facing the second surface of the at least one axial flow fan, wherein the at least one microchannel evaporator includes a single microchannel evaporator including a first bend defining a first peak, a second bend defining a second peak, and a third bend defining a valley between said first bend and said second bend, and wherein the first peak and the second peak extend upward toward a top passage disposed above a plurality of shelves and the third bend extends downward toward an air return passage defined below the plurality of shelves.