Semi-Frozen Product Dispenser

Abstract

A semi-frozen product dispenser ( 10 or 200 ) is provided for at least partially freezing and dispensing a product. The product dispenser may include at least one freezing barrel ( 20 - 1 ) defining a freezing chamber (C 1 ) configured to receive the product. A refrigeration system ( 60 or 260 ) is provided for at least partially freezing product in the freezing chamber (C 1 ). A fluid heating system ( 80 or 280 ) is also provided to remove heat from the refrigeration system ( 60 or 260 ) and use it in an auxiliary system, such as a water pre-heating system. The fluid heating system ( 80 or 280 ) may include a fluid heat exchanger ( 102 ) disposed in a high pressure refrigerant line ( 67 or 267 ), a fluid tank ( 82 or 282 ), and a fluid pump ( 96 ). Fluid may be continuously circulated through the fluid heat exchanger ( 102 or 302 ) when the refrigeration system is operated, thereby to continuously provide refrigerant cooling and fluid warming.

1 . A semi-frozen product dispenser ( 10  or  200 ) for at least partially freezing and dispensing a product, comprising:
 at least one freezing barrel ( 20 - 1 ) defining a freezing chamber (C 1 ) configured to receive the product; 
 an evaporator ( 50  or  250 ) operably coupled to the freezing barrel ( 20 - 1 ) and including a refrigerant inlet and a refrigerant outlet; 
 a compressor ( 62  or  262 ) having a suction inlet in fluid communication with the evaporator outlet through a low pressure refrigerant line ( 69  or  269 ) and a discharge outlet; 
 a high pressure refrigerant line ( 67  or  267 ) extending between the compressor discharge outlet and the evaporator refrigerant inlet; 
 an air heat exchanger ( 64  or  264 ) operatively coupled to a portion of the high pressure refrigerant line ( 67  or  267 ); 
 a fluid tank ( 82  or  282 ) sized to hold a predetermined volume of fluid; and 
 a fluid heat exchanger ( 102  or  302 ) fluidly communicating with the high pressure refrigerant line ( 67  or  267 ) to receive heated refrigerant and configured to transfer heat from the heated refrigerant to the volume of fluid in the fluid tank ( 82  or  282 ). 
 
     
     
         2 . The semi-frozen product dispenser ( 10 ) of  claim 1 , in which the fluid heat exchanger ( 102 ) defines a refrigerant path and a fluid path and is configured to transfer heat from the refrigerant in the refrigerant path to fluid in the fluid path, and the fluid tank ( 82 ) includes a cold water inlet ( 84 ), a cold water outlet ( 88 ), a warm water inlet ( 90 ) fluidly communicating with the fluid heat exchanger fluid path, and a warm water outlet ( 92 ). 
     
     
         3 . The semi-frozen product dispenser ( 10 ) of  claim 2 , further comprising a fluid pump ( 96 ) having a pump inlet ( 98 ) in fluid communication with the cold water outlet ( 88 ) and a pump outlet ( 100 ) in fluid communication with the fluid heat exchanger fluid path. 
     
     
         4 . The semi-frozen product dispenser ( 10 ) of  claim 3 , further comprising a temperature sensor ( 112 ) disposed in sensing relationship to an interior of the tank ( 82 ) and operably coupled to the pump ( 96 ). 
     
     
         5 . The semi-frozen product dispenser ( 10 ) of  claim 3 , further comprising a controller ( 72 ) operably coupled to the compressor ( 62 ) and the fluid pump ( 98 ), the controller ( 72 ) being programmed to operate the fluid pump ( 98 ) whenever the compressor ( 62 ) is operated. 
     
     
         6 . The semi-frozen product dispenser ( 200 ) of  claim 1 , in which the fluid heat exchanger ( 302 ) is disposed in the fluid tank ( 282 ) thereby to directly transfer heat from the refrigerant to the fluid in the fluid tank ( 282 ). 
     
     
         7 . The semi-frozen product dispenser ( 10  or  200 ) of  claim 1 , in which the fluid heat exchanger ( 102  or  302 ) is disposed upstream of the air heat exchanger ( 64  or  264 ). 
     
     
         8 . The semi-frozen product dispenser ( 10  or  200 ) of  claim 1 , in which the dispenser ( 10  or  200 ) is disposed in an interior space ( 12 ), and in which the air heat exchanger ( 64  or  264 ) discharges heated air into the interior space ( 12 ). 
     
     
         9 . The semi-frozen product dispenser ( 10  or  200 ) of  claim 1 , further comprising a suction heat exchanger ( 74  or  274 ) having a first line ( 76  or  276 ) in fluid communication with the high pressure refrigerant line ( 67  or  267 ) and a second line ( 78  or  278 ) in fluid communication with the low pressure refrigerant line ( 69  or  269 ), wherein the first and second lines ( 76 ,  78  or  276 ,  278 ) are disposed in heat transfer relationship with each other thereby to transfer heat from the high pressure refrigerant line ( 67  or  267 ) to the low pressure refrigerant line ( 69  or  269 ). 
     
     
         10 . A semi-frozen product dispenser ( 10  or  200 ) disposed in an interior space ( 12 ) for at least partially freezing and dispensing a product, comprising:
 at least one freezing barrel ( 20 - 1 ) defining a freezing chamber (C 1 ) configured to receive the product; 
 a refrigeration system ( 60  or  260 ) including:
 an evaporator ( 50  or  250 ) operably coupled to the freezing barrel ( 20 - 1 ) and including a refrigerant inlet and a refrigerant outlet; 
 a compressor ( 62  or  262 ) having a suction inlet in fluid communication with the evaporator outlet through a low pressure refrigerant line ( 69  or  269 ) and a discharge outlet; 
 a high pressure refrigerant line ( 67  or  267 ) extending between the compressor discharge outlet and the evaporator refrigerant inlet; and 
 an air heat exchanger ( 64  or  264 ) operatively coupled to a portion of the high pressure refrigerant line ( 67  or  267 ); and 
 
 a water heating system ( 80  or  280 ) including:
 a fluid tank ( 82  or  282 ) sized to hold a predetermined volume of fluid; and 
 a fluid heat exchanger ( 102  or  302 ) fluidly communicating with the high pressure refrigerant line ( 67  or  267 ) to receive heated refrigerant and configured to transfer heat from the heated refrigerant to the volume of fluid in the fluid tank ( 82  or  282 ). 
 
 
     
     
         11 . The semi-frozen product dispenser ( 10 ) of  claim 10 , in which the fluid heat exchanger ( 102 ) defines a refrigerant path and a fluid path and is configured to transfer heat from the refrigerant in the refrigerant path to fluid in the fluid path, and the fluid tank ( 82 ) includes a cold water inlet ( 84 ), a cold water outlet ( 88 ), a warm water inlet ( 90 ) fluidly communicating with the fluid heat exchanger fluid path, and a warm water outlet ( 92 ). 
     
     
         12 . The semi-frozen product dispenser ( 10 ) of  claim 11 , further comprising a fluid pump ( 96 ) having a pump inlet ( 98 ) in fluid communication with the cold water outlet ( 88 ) and a pump outlet ( 100 ) in fluid communication with the fluid heat exchanger fluid path. 
     
     
         13 . The semi-frozen product dispenser ( 10 ) of  claim 12 , further comprising a temperature sensor ( 112 ) disposed in sensing relationship to an interior of the tank ( 82 ) and operably coupled to the pump ( 96 ). 
     
     
         14 . The semi-frozen product dispenser ( 10 ) of  claim 12 , further comprising a controller ( 72 ) operably coupled to the compressor ( 62 ) and the fluid pump ( 98 ), the controller ( 72 ) being programmed to operate the fluid pump ( 98 ) whenever the compressor ( 62 ) is operated. 
     
     
         15 . The semi-frozen product dispenser ( 200 ) of  claim 10 , in which the fluid heat exchanger ( 302 ) is disposed in the fluid tank ( 282 ) thereby to directly transfer heat from the refrigerant to the fluid in the fluid tank ( 282 ). 
     
     
         16 . The semi-frozen product dispenser ( 10  or  200 ) of  claim 10 , in which the fluid heat exchanger ( 102  or  302 ) is disposed upstream of the air heat exchanger ( 64  or  264 ). 
     
     
         17 . The semi-frozen product dispenser ( 10  or  200 ) of  claim 10 , further comprising a suction heat exchanger ( 74  or  274 ) having a first line ( 76  or  276 ) in fluid communication with the high pressure refrigerant line ( 67  or  267 ) and a second line ( 78  or  278 ) in fluid communication with the low pressure refrigerant line ( 69  or  269 ), wherein the first and second lines ( 76 ,  78  or  276 ,  278 ) are disposed in heat transfer relationship with each other thereby to transfer heat from the high pressure refrigerant line ( 67  or  267 ) to the low pressure refrigerant line ( 69  or  269 ). 
     
     
         18 . A semi-frozen product dispenser ( 10 ) disposed in an interior space ( 12 ) for at least partially freezing and dispensing a product, comprising:
 an enclosure ( 120 ) defining a housing space;   at least one freezing barrel ( 20 - 1 ) disposed within the housing space and defining a freezing chamber (C 1 ) configured to receive the product;   an evaporator ( 50 ) disposed within the housing space, operably coupled to the freezing barrel ( 20 - 1 ), and including a refrigerant inlet and a refrigerant outlet;   a compressor ( 62 ) disposed within the housing space, the compressor ( 62 ) having a suction inlet in fluid communication with the evaporator outlet through a low pressure refrigerant line ( 69 ) and a discharge outlet;   a high pressure refrigerant line ( 67 ) disposed within the housing space and extending between the compressor discharge outlet and the evaporator refrigerant inlet;   an air heat exchanger ( 64 ) disposed within the housing space and operatively coupled to a portion of the high pressure refrigerant line ( 67 ), the air heat exchanger ( 64 ) discharging heated air into the interior space ( 12 );   a fluid heat exchanger ( 102 ) disposed in the high pressure refrigerant line ( 67 ) and defining a refrigerant path and a fluid path, the fluid heat exchanger ( 102 ) being configured to transfer heat from refrigerant in the refrigerant path to fluid in the fluid path;   a fluid tank ( 82 ) sized to hold a predetermined volume of water, the tank ( 82 ) including a cold water inlet ( 84 ), a cold water outlet ( 88 ), a warm water inlet ( 90 ) fluidly communicating with the fluid heat exchanger fluid path and a warm water outlet ( 92 ); and   a fluid pump ( 96 ) having a pump inlet ( 98 ) in fluid communication with the cold water outlet ( 88 ) and a pump outlet ( 100 ) in fluid communication with the fluid heat exchanger fluid path.   
     
     
         19 . The semi-frozen product dispenser ( 10 ) of  claim 19 , in which the fluid heat exchanger ( 102 ), fluid tank ( 82 ), and fluid pump ( 96 ) are also disposed within the housing space.