The invention relates to a refrigerated display case, as well as a method for sainitizing such display cases. In refrigerated display cases, in particular the evaporating apparatus used to cool a circulating airflow causes sanitary problems. Microorganism that attach themselves to the cooling surfaces of an evaporating apparatus, e.g. bacteria, fungi or the like (in the following briefly referred to as "germs"), can multiply only to a negligible degree, owing to the low temperatures that prevail during the operation of the evaporating apparatus. However, the defrosting phases present a problem. Following a specific operating time, evaporating apparatuses generally become covered with ice. A sheet of ice on the cooling surfaces prevents the heat exchange or the cooling ability of the evaporating apparatus. For the defrosting, the supply of cooling agent to the evaporating apparatus is interrupted. In other words, a compressor that is generally arranged outside of the refrigerated display case or a refrigeration device containing a compressor is shut down, thereby allowing the ice that has formed on the cooling surfaces of the evaporating apparatus to melt. The danger during this process is that the number of germs in the condensation water will increase with increasing temperatures. Since the condensation water can low into places in the refrigerated display case that are not accessible or hard to access, every defrosting operation represents a sanitary risk for refrigerated display cases used until now.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds