Water Chiller Apparatus

Abstract

The present subject matter provides chiller apparatus including a storage tank for storing the liquid and a refrigerant cooling system. The refrigerant cooling system includes a compressor attached to the storage tank, a condenser positioned downstream from the compressor to condense a refrigerant received therefrom, and at least one evaporator positioned downstream of the condenser and wrapped about the outer surface of the storage tank. The evaporator includes a negative pitch coil configured to direct refrigerant flow from a position near a top of the storage tank to a position near a bottom of the storage tank.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A chiller apparatus for cooling a liquid, comprising:
 a storage tank for storing the liquid, the storage tank having a top and a bottom, the storage tank having an outer surface; and   a refrigerant cooling system, comprising
 a compressor attached to the storage tank, 
 a condenser positioned downstream from the compressor to condense a refrigerant received therefrom, and 
 at least one evaporator positioned downstream of the condenser and wrapped about the outer surface of the storage tank, the evaporator including a negative pitch coil configured to direct refrigerant flow from a position near the top of the storage tank to a position near the bottom of the storage tank. 
   
     
     
         2 . The chiller apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising further comprising a thermal paste affixing the negative pitch coil to the storage tank and enhancing heat transfer. 
     
     
         3 . The chiller apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the storage tank includes an interior surface and a plurality of projections extending in a radial direction from the interior surface of said tank to provide additional surface area for heat transfer with the liquid contained in the storage tank. 
     
     
         4 . The chiller apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the outer surface of the storage tank defines at least one circumferential groove, wherein the negative pitch coil is at least partially disposed in the circumferential groove. 
     
     
         5 . The chiller apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the negative pitch coil includes a circular profile defining an outer coil diameter. 
     
     
         6 . The chiller apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the groove includes a radial depth that is less than the outer coil diameter, and wherein the negative pitch coil extends above outer surface of the storage tank. 
     
     
         7 . The chiller apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an outer jacket surrounding the outer surface of the storage tank and enclosing the negative pitch coil, the outer jacket defining an annular cavity between the outer surface of the storage tank and the outer jacket. 
     
     
         8 . The chiller apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising an insulation material disposed within the annular cavity. 
     
     
         9 . The chiller apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the negative pitch coil is wrapped around the storage tank in a helical pattern having a negative pitch angle relative to the top of the storage tank. 
     
     
         10 . A chiller apparatus, comprising:
 a storage tank defining an interior volume for the receipt of liquid to be chilled, the storage tank including a sidewall having an inner surface defining the interior volume and configured for contact with the liquid, the storage tank having an outer surface not contacting the liquid, the storage tank having a bottom portion and a top portion;   a support plate disposed over the storage tank; and   a sealed cooling system for circulating a refrigerant and comprising
 a compressor mounted to the support plate for compressing the refrigerant, 
 a condenser positioned downstream from the compressor on the support plate to condense the refrigerant received from the compressor, and 
 at least one evaporator positioned downstream of the condenser and wrapped about the outer surface of the sidewall, the evaporator including a negative pitch coil configured to direct a refrigerant flow from the top portion of the storage tank toward the bottom portion of the storage tank. 
   
     
     
         11 . The chiller apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising a thermal paste affixing the negative pitch coil to the storage tank and enhancing heat transfer. 
     
     
         12 . The chiller apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the inner surface of the sidewall includes plurality of projections extending radially inward to provide additional surface area for heat transfer with the liquid contained in the storage tank. 
     
     
         13 . The chiller apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the outer surface of the storage tank defines at least one circumferential groove, wherein the negative pitch coil is at least partially disposed in the circumferential groove. 
     
     
         14 . The chiller apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the negative pitch coil includes a circular profile defining an outer coil diameter. 
     
     
         15 . The chiller apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the groove includes a radial depth that is less than the outer coil diameter, and wherein the negative pitch coil extends above the outer surface of the storage tank. 
     
     
         16 . The chiller apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising an outer jacket surrounding the negative pitch coil and the sidewall of the storage tank, the outer jacket defining an annular cavity between the sidewall of the storage tank and the outer jacket. 
     
     
         17 . The chiller apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising an insulation material disposed within the annular cavity. 
     
     
         18 . The chiller apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the negative pitch coil is wrapped around the storage tank in a helical pattern having a negative pitch angle relative to the support plate. 
     
     
         19 . The chiller apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising a temperature sensor mounted to the storage tank in operable communication with the compressor. 
     
     
         20 . The chiller apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the storage tank includes an outlet conduit extending from the interior volume at the bottom portion of the storage tank.