Patent ID: 8245524

Claim:
A distributed refrigeration appliance system in at least a kitchen in a residential dwelling comprising: a plurality of separate refrigeration appliance modules each having: an insulated compartment comprising a cabinet and at least one insulated door for covering and uncovering an opening in the cabinet, a temperature selector arranged to set the desired temperature in the insulated compartment, a temperature sensor arranged for sensing the temperature in the insulated compartment, a heat exchanger for receiving liquid coolant, a liquid coolant control valve connected to the heat exchanger, and a fan arranged for circulating air across the heat exchanger for primary stage cooling of the insulated compartment; a central cooling unit for chilling the liquid coolant; a controller connected to the cooling unit, the temperature selector, the temperature sensor, the control valve and the fan of the respective refrigeration appliance modules; a liquid coolant circuit connecting the central cooling unit with the plurality of refrigeration appliance module heat exchangers and a pump to supply chilled liquid coolant from the central cooling unit to the plurality of refrigeration appliance module heat exchangers and to return liquid coolant to the central cooling unit for primary stage cooling of the refrigeration appliance modules; wherein the liquid coolant control valves of the respective refrigeration appliance modules are connected in the liquid coolant circuit for controlling flow of liquid coolant to the respective refrigeration appliance module heat exchangers to control the temperature in the respective refrigeration appliance module insulated compartments; and further wherein at least one of the refrigeration appliance modules comprises: first and second insulated compartments separated by an insulated compartment separator with the heat exchanger and fan arranged for primary stage cooling of the first compartment, and a thermal cascade cooling system connected to the controller to selectively cool the second compartment to a lower temperature than can be achieved in the primary stage cooling of the at least one refrigeration appliance module.