A refrigerator

Abstract

The application provides a refrigerator, which comprises a first chamber, a second chamber, an air inlet channel and an air return channel; the first chamber contains an evaporator, the second chamber contains a compressor, the air inlet channel and the air return channel are both communicated with the first chamber and the second chamber; at least one of the air inlet channel and the air return channel is provided with a dehumidification assembly; when the refrigerator is in a defrosting mode, the air inlet channel makes the humid hot air in the second chamber enter the first chamber, the humid hot air is changed into dry hot air when flowing through the dehumidification assembly, and then the dry hot air is used for defrosting treatment of the evaporator, and the defrosted air returns to the second chamber through the air return channel; the dry hot air improves the defrosting effect, avoids the problem that water vapor in hot air aggravates the frosting of the evaporator, fully utilizes the heat in the second chamber, defrosts the evaporator, does not need to consume extra electric energy, improves the energy utilization rate of the refrigerator, ensures the pressure balance in the first chamber, and is beneficial to maintaining the temperature of the first chamber in the defrosting process of the refrigerator.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of refrigeration equipment technology, and more particularly to a refrigerator. Background Technology

[0002] Refrigerators meet users' needs for extending food preservation time, but water vapor in the air inside the refrigerator is easily condensed into frost on the surface of the evaporator due to the low temperature, thus affecting the normal operation of the evaporator. Existing technology mainly uses electric heating wires to defrost the evaporator, but this method consumes a lot of electricity, has a narrow heating coverage, and poor defrosting effect. At the same time, the waste heat discharged by the compressor and condenser in the mechanical compartment is not utilized, resulting in a waste of resources. Some have proposed connecting the mechanical compartment and the evaporator compartment with an exhaust fan assembly. In defrosting mode, the exhaust fan assembly can introduce the hot air generated by the compressor and condenser in the mechanical compartment into the evaporator compartment, using the heat of the components in the mechanical compartment to defrost the evaporator. This would not consume additional electricity and would improve energy efficiency. However, the hot air entering the evaporator compartment contains a large amount of water vapor, which will adhere to the evaporator fins, aggravating the frost formation on the evaporator and weakening the defrosting effect of the hot air. In addition, the complex structure and unreasonable placement of the air duct result in a large space occupation. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of this, the present invention provides a refrigerator to solve the problems of water vapor entering the evaporator chamber from the mechanical compartment in the prior art, which aggravates frost formation, has limited defrosting effect, and has a complex air duct structure.

[0004] The present invention provides a refrigerator, the refrigerator including a first compartment and a second compartment arranged along the height direction of the refrigerator, and an air inlet duct and an air return duct connecting the first compartment and the second compartment;

[0005] The first compartment houses the evaporator, and the second compartment houses the compressor;

[0006] The air inlet duct is used to send the hot and humid air in the second chamber into the first chamber;

[0007] The return air duct is used to send defrosted air from the first compartment into the second compartment;

[0008] Both the air inlet duct and the air return duct are equipped with control dampers;

[0009] The air inlet duct and / or return air duct are equipped with dehumidification components;

[0010] When the refrigerator is in defrost mode, the control dampers of both the air inlet and return air ducts are open;

[0011] When the refrigerator is in normal operation, the control dampers of the air inlet and return air ducts are both closed.

[0012] Further optionally, the refrigerator includes a cabinet, the cabinet includes two oppositely arranged side walls, and the air inlet duct and the air return duct are respectively embedded in the foam layer of the two oppositely arranged side walls.

[0013] Further optionally, when the dehumidification component is disposed in the air inlet duct, the dehumidification component is disposed at one end of the air inlet duct near the first compartment;

[0014] When the dehumidification component is installed in the return air duct, the dehumidification component is installed at one end of the return air duct near the first compartment.

[0015] Further optionally, the dehumidification component includes a housing, a barrier membrane, and an adsorption element; the barrier membrane is attached to the surface of the housing, the adsorption element is made of solid particles and fixed on the housing, and a plurality of first flow channels are formed on the adsorption element;

[0016] When hot and humid air flows through the barrier membrane, the barrier membrane can trap a large number of water molecules in the air; when hot and humid air flows through multiple first channels, the adsorption element can adsorb a small number of water molecules in the air.

[0017] Further optionally, the dehumidification component also includes a filter screen; when the air entering the air inlet or return duct flows through the filter screen, the particulate matter therein can be filtered out.

[0018] Optionally, a first air inlet is formed on the left side wall of the first chamber, and a first air outlet is formed on the right side wall of the first chamber; a second air outlet is formed on the left side wall of the second chamber, and a second air inlet is formed on the right side wall of the second chamber; the dehumidification component is disposed at the first air inlet and the first air outlet.

[0019] One end of the air inlet duct is connected to the second exhaust vent, and the other end of the air inlet duct is connected to the first air inlet; one end of the return air duct is connected to the first exhaust vent, and the other end of the return air duct is connected to the second air inlet.

[0020] When the refrigerator is in defrost mode, the humid and hot air from the second compartment enters the first compartment through the air inlet duct and then returns to the second compartment through the air return duct.

[0021] Further optionally, the control damper is an electric damper, including a first electric damper and a second electric damper; the first electric damper is located in the air inlet duct near the first air inlet, and the first electric damper can control the opening or closing of the first air inlet; the second electric damper is located in the return air duct near the first exhaust outlet, and the second electric damper can control the opening or closing of the first exhaust outlet.

[0022] Optionally, the refrigerator further includes a frost sensor and a controller. The frost sensor is used to detect the frost and / or defrosting status in the first compartment in real time. The controller is electrically connected to the frost sensor, the fan, the first electric damper, and the second electric damper, and controls the operation of the fan and the opening of the first and second electric dampers based on the detection data of the frost sensor, thereby defrosting the evaporator.

[0023] Further optionally, the dehumidification component includes a plurality of baffles arranged at intervals along the first air inlet or the first air outlet; the plurality of baffles are at an angle α to the air flow direction, wherein 0° < α < 90°; a water collection trough is provided below the plurality of baffles; and a second flow channel is formed between adjacent baffles;

[0024] When hot and humid air flows through the second channel, the water vapor in it comes into contact with the baffle, collides and coalesces into water droplets, and then drips down the baffle into the water receiving tank.

[0025] Further optionally, the refrigerator also includes a drip tray and a drain pipe; the drip tray is disposed in the first compartment; one end of the drain pipe is connected to the drip tray, and the other end of the drain pipe is connected to the outside of the refrigerator; the condensate in the first compartment is collected in the drip tray and discharged through the drain pipe.

[0026] Compared with the prior art, the main advantages of the present invention are as follows:

[0027] (1) A dehumidification component is installed in the air inlet and return air ducts. Under the action of the dehumidification component, the humid hot air can be converted into dry hot air, which can then defrost the evaporator, improve the defrosting effect of the hot air, and avoid the problem of water vapor in the hot air aggravating the evaporator frosting.

[0028] (2) It makes full use of the heat generated by the compressor and condenser in the second compartment to defrost the evaporator without consuming additional electricity, which greatly reduces the energy consumption of the refrigerator's defrosting function, improves the refrigerator's energy utilization rate, enhances the refrigerator's energy efficiency, and ensures that the temperature of the first compartment will not rise due to defrosting.

[0029] (3) The first compartment and the second compartment are connected by an air inlet duct and an air return duct. The second compartment, the air inlet duct, the first compartment and the air return duct form a circulation path, which is conducive to maintaining the temperature of the first compartment during the defrosting process of the refrigerator.

[0030] (4) Both the air inlet and return air ducts are embedded in the foam layer of the refrigerator side wall and are integrated with the foam layer. The structure is simple, occupies little space, does not affect the appearance of the refrigerator, and the space utilization rate of the refrigerator is high. This solves the problem of low space utilization caused by complex air duct structure and unreasonable location setting in the existing technology.

[0031] (5) An electric damper is installed at both the first air inlet and the first air outlet. When the refrigerator is defrosting, the electric damper is opened to recover the heat generated in the second compartment into the first compartment, so that there is no heat waste. When the refrigerator is not defrosting, the electric damper is closed to effectively isolate the temperature of the first compartment and avoid the problem of the temperature of the first compartment and the second compartment affecting each other, resulting in a small cooling effect in the first compartment.

[0032] (6) The dehumidification components are installed at the first air inlet and the first air outlet through a snap-fit ​​structure, which makes installation and disassembly convenient and enables the recycling of the dehumidification function. Attached Figure Description

[0033] To more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are merely exemplary, and those skilled in the art can derive other embodiments based on the provided drawings without creative effort.

[0034] The structures, proportions, sizes, etc. illustrated in this specification are only for the purpose of assisting those skilled in the art in understanding and reading the content disclosed herein, and are not intended to limit the conditions under which the present invention can be implemented. Therefore, they have no substantial technical significance. Any modifications to the structure, changes in the proportions, or adjustments to the size, without affecting the effects and objectives that the present invention can produce, should still fall within the scope of the technical content disclosed in the present invention.

[0035] Figure 1a and Figure 1b This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a refrigerator embodiment provided by the present invention;

[0036] Figure 2a This is an enlarged structural diagram of an embodiment of the refrigerator provided by the present invention at the air inlet duct;

[0037] Figure 2b This is an enlarged structural diagram of an embodiment of the refrigerator provided by the present invention at the return air duct;

[0038] Figure 3a A schematic diagram of the assembly structure of an embodiment of the air inlet duct, fan, first electric damper and dehumidification component provided by the present invention;

[0039] Figure 3b An exploded structural diagram of an embodiment of the air inlet duct, the first electric damper, and the dehumidification assembly provided by the present invention;

[0040] Figure 4a and Figure 4bThis is a schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of the dehumidification component provided by the present invention;

[0041] In the picture:

[0042] 11-Box body; 111-Left side wall; 112-Right side wall; 121-First compartment; 122-Second compartment; 131-Evaporator;

[0043] 21-Air inlet duct; 22-Air return duct;

[0044] 3-Dehumidification component; 31-Outer shell; 32-Barrier membrane; 33-Adsorption element; 331-First flow channel;

[0045] 4- Fan;

[0046] 51-First electric damper; 52-Second electric damper. Detailed Implementation

[0047] The following specific embodiments illustrate the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in this specification. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0048] The terminology used in the embodiments of this invention is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the invention. The singular forms “a,” “the,” and “the” used in the embodiments of this invention and the appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. “Multiple” generally includes at least two, but does not exclude the inclusion of at least one.

[0049] It should be understood that the term "and / or" used in this article is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, and B existing alone. Additionally, the character " / " in this article generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0050] It should also be noted that the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a product or system comprising a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a product or system. Without further limitation, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the product or system that includes said element.

[0051] In existing refrigerators, defrosting of the evaporator is mainly achieved by heating with electric heating wires. However, this method consumes a lot of electricity, has a narrow heating coverage area, and poor defrosting effect. Some have proposed connecting the mechanical compartment and the evaporator compartment with an exhaust fan to introduce hot air from the mechanical compartment into the evaporator compartment, using the heat from the components in the mechanical compartment to defrost the evaporator. However, the hot air entering the compartment contains a large amount of water vapor, which will adhere to the evaporator fins, aggravating the frost buildup on the evaporator and weakening the defrosting effect of the hot air. Furthermore, the complex air duct structure and unreasonable placement result in a large space occupation.

[0052] This invention creatively provides a refrigerator comprising a first compartment and a second compartment arranged along the height of the refrigerator, and an air inlet duct and a return air duct connecting the first compartment and the second compartment; the first compartment houses an evaporator, the second compartment houses a compressor, and both the air inlet duct and the return air duct connect the first compartment and the second compartment; at least one of the air inlet duct and the return air duct is provided with a dehumidification component; both the air inlet duct and the return air duct are provided with control dampers; when the refrigerator is in defrost mode, both the control dampers of the air inlet duct and the return air duct are opened, and the air inlet duct removes the humid and hot air from the second compartment. The humid, hot air is introduced into the first compartment. As it flows through the dehumidification unit, it transforms into dry, hot air, which then defrosts the evaporator. The return air duct then sends the defrosted air from the first compartment into the second compartment. The dehumidified, dry, hot air improves the defrosting effect, avoids the problem of water vapor in the hot air exacerbating frost buildup on the evaporator, and fully utilizes the heat in the second compartment to defrost the evaporator without consuming additional electricity, thus improving the refrigerator's energy efficiency. It also ensures pressure balance in the first compartment, which helps maintain the temperature of the first compartment during the defrosting process.

[0053] Example 1

[0054] like Figure 1a and Figure 1b As shown, this embodiment provides a refrigerator, which includes a first compartment 121 and a second compartment 122 arranged along the height direction of the refrigerator, and an air inlet duct 21 and a return air duct 22 connecting the first compartment 121 and the second compartment 122; the first compartment 121 houses an evaporator 131, and the second compartment 122 houses a compressor; the air inlet duct 21 and the return air duct 22 are arranged opposite to each other between the first compartment 121 and the second compartment 122; the air inlet duct 21 is used to send humid and hot air from the second compartment 122 into the first compartment 121; the return air duct 22 is used to send defrosted air from the first compartment 121 into the second compartment 122; both the air inlet duct 21 and the return air duct 22 are provided with control dampers;

[0055] A dehumidification component 3 is detachably provided in at least one of the air inlet duct 21 and the air return duct 22; specifically, the air inlet duct 21 is an air inlet pipe and the air return duct 22 is an air return pipe.

[0056] When the refrigerator is in defrost mode, it stops cooling, and the control dampers of the air inlet duct 21 and the air return duct 22 are both opened. The air inlet duct 21 allows the humid and hot air in the second compartment 122 to enter the first compartment 121. When the humid and hot air flows through the dehumidification component 3, the water molecules in it are trapped and transformed into dry and hot air. Due to the principle of hot air rising, the dry and hot air rises from the bottom of the first compartment 121 to the fins of the evaporator 131 to defrost. The defrosted air returns to the second compartment 122 through the air return duct 22 under pressure.

[0057] When the refrigerator is operating normally, the control dampers of the air inlet duct 21 and the air return duct 22 are both closed.

[0058] In summary, the dehumidified hot and humid air defrosts the evaporator 131, improving the defrosting effect and avoiding the problem of water vapor in the hot air exacerbating frost formation on the evaporator 131. It fully utilizes the heat generated by the compressor and condenser in the second compartment 122 to defrost the evaporator 131 without consuming additional electrical energy, significantly reducing the energy consumption of the refrigerator's defrosting process, improving the refrigerator's energy utilization rate, enhancing its energy efficiency, and ensuring that the temperature of the first compartment 121 does not rise due to defrosting. The first compartment 121 and the second compartment 122 are connected by the air inlet duct 21 and the air return duct 22, ensuring pressure balance within the first compartment 121, which is beneficial for maintaining the temperature of the first compartment 121 during the defrosting process.

[0059] Furthermore, when the dehumidification component 3 is installed in the air inlet duct 21, it is located at the end of the air inlet duct 21 closest to the first chamber 121; when the dehumidification component 3 is installed in the air return duct 22, it is located at the end of the air return duct 22 closest to the first chamber 121. This dehumidifies the air in the air inlet duct 21 and air return duct 22, preventing water vapor from entering the first chamber 121, thus aggravating the frosting of the evaporator 131 and reducing the defrosting effect of the hot air. Simultaneously, it prevents bacteria from easily growing in a humid environment on the inner walls of the air inlet duct 21 and air return duct 22, which could lead to odors and affect the food preservation effect. To improve the dehumidification effect, a dehumidification component 3 can be installed in both the air inlet duct 21 and air return duct 22.

[0060] Specifically, such as Figure 4a and Figure 4b As shown, the dehumidification component 3 includes a housing 31, a barrier membrane 32 and an adsorption element 33 arranged in sequence; the barrier membrane 32 is attached to the surface of the housing 31, the adsorption element 33 is made of solid particles and fixed on the housing 31, and a plurality of first flow channels 331 are formed on the adsorption element 33.

[0061] When hot and humid air flows through the barrier membrane 32, the barrier membrane 32 can trap a large number of water molecules in the air, thus performing primary dehumidification of the hot and humid air; when hot and humid air flows through multiple first flow channels 331, the adsorption element 33 can adsorb a small amount of water molecules in the air, thus performing secondary dehumidification of the hot and humid air, greatly reducing the water vapor in the hot and humid air and enhancing the defrosting effect of the dry hot air on the evaporator 131; the solid particulate matter is a mixture containing calcium oxide and the like.

[0062] The dehumidification component 3 also includes a filter screen; when the air entering the air inlet duct 21 or return air duct 22 flows through the filter screen, the particulate matter in it can be filtered out; effectively removing impurities in the air, ensuring the cleanliness of the air entering the first compartment 121, avoiding the problem of impurities adhering to the parts inside the refrigerator and requiring frequent cleaning, and avoiding the impact of impurities on the food inside the refrigerator.

[0063] like Figure 2a and Figure 2b As shown, the refrigerator includes a cabinet 11, with an air inlet duct 21 and a return air duct 22 respectively disposed on opposite side walls of the cabinet 11, and both the air inlet duct 21 and the return air duct 22 are embedded in the foam layer of the refrigerator. Specifically, both the air inlet duct 21 and the return air duct 22 have a U-shaped structure. The air inlet duct 21 is disposed on the left side wall 111 of the cabinet 11 and is integrated with the foam layer on the left side wall 111. The return air duct 22 is disposed on the right side wall 112 of the cabinet 11 and is integrated with the foam layer on the right side wall 112. The structure is simple, occupies little space, does not occupy the space of the first compartment 121 and the second compartment 122, does not affect the appearance of the refrigerator, and has a high space utilization rate. This solves the problem of low space utilization caused by complex air duct structure and unreasonable placement in the prior art.

[0064] Furthermore, a first air inlet is formed on the left side wall 111 of the first chamber 121, and a first air outlet is formed on the right side wall 112 of the first chamber 121; a second air outlet is formed on the left side wall 111 of the second chamber 122, and a second air inlet is formed on the right side wall 112 of the second chamber 122; the dehumidification component 3 is disposed at the first air inlet and the first air outlet;

[0065] One end of the air inlet duct 21 is connected to the second exhaust vent, and the other end of the air inlet duct 21 is connected to the first air inlet; one end of the return air duct 22 is connected to the first exhaust vent, and the other end of the return air duct 22 is connected to the second air inlet; specifically, the first air inlet is provided with a first air inlet connector, the first exhaust vent is provided with a first exhaust connector, the second exhaust vent is provided with a second exhaust connector, and the second air inlet is provided with a second air inlet connector; one end of the air inlet duct 21 is connected to the second exhaust vent through the second exhaust connector, and the other end of the air inlet duct 21 is connected to the first air inlet through the first air inlet connector; one end of the return air duct 22 is connected to the first exhaust vent through the first exhaust connector, and the other end of the return air duct 22 is connected to the second air inlet through the second air inlet connector; one dehumidification component 3 is provided at the first air inlet connector, and another dehumidification component 3 is provided at the first exhaust vent connector;

[0066] like Figure 3a and Figure 3b As shown, a fan 4 is installed at the second air inlet. The fan 4 is a centrifugal fan. In order to ensure that the air inlet duct 21 has sufficient ventilation when the refrigerator is in defrosting mode, a fan mounting cavity is formed at the second air outlet. The fan mounting cavity extends horizontally into the interior of the cabinet 11. One end of the fan mounting cavity is connected to the second compartment 122, and the other end of the fan mounting cavity is connected to the air inlet duct 21. The fan 4 is installed in the fan mounting cavity. The air inlet side of the fan 4 faces the second compartment 122, and the air outlet side of the fan 4 faces the air inlet duct 21.

[0067] When the refrigerator is in defrost mode, under the action of the fan 4, the hot and humid air in the second compartment 122 enters the first compartment 121 through the air inlet duct 21, and then returns to the second compartment 122 through the air return duct 22. The second compartment 122, the air inlet duct 21, the first compartment 121 and the air return duct 22 form a circulation path. Under the action of the fan 4, the air flows in the circulation path, is heated in the second compartment 122, is dehumidified in the air inlet duct 21 and the air return duct 22, and defrosts the evaporator 131 in the first compartment 121.

[0068] It should be noted that since the second room 122 is equipped with a DC condenser fan, the fan 4 at the second air inlet can be cancelled as appropriate based on the actual situation.

[0069] like Figure 2a and Figure 2bAs shown, the control dampers are electric dampers, including a first electric damper 51 and a second electric damper 52. The first electric damper 51 is located near the first air inlet in the air inlet duct 21, and can be controlled to open or close the first air inlet. The second electric damper 52 is located near the first air outlet in the return air duct 22, and can be controlled to open or close the first air outlet. Specifically, the first electric damper 51 is located at the bend of the end of the air inlet duct 21 connecting to the first chamber 121, and the first air inlet can be opened or closed in a timely manner by controlling the first electric damper 51. The dehumidification component 3 is closer to the first chamber 121 than the first electric damper 51. The second electric damper 52 is located at the bend of the end of the return air duct 22 connecting to the first chamber 121, and the second air inlet can be opened or closed in a timely manner by controlling the second electric damper 52. The dehumidification component 3 is closer to the first chamber 121 than the second electric damper 52.

[0070] When the refrigerator is in defrost mode, both the first electric damper 51 and the second electric damper 52 are open, which can recover the heat generated by the second compartment 122 into the first compartment 121 to defrost the evaporator 131, thus achieving auxiliary defrosting. The heat is fully utilized and there is no heat waste, resulting in significant energy saving.

[0071] When the refrigerator is not in defrost mode, both the first electric damper 51 and the second electric damper 52 are closed, effectively isolating the temperature of the first compartment 121 and preventing the hot and humid air in the second compartment 122 from entering the first compartment 121, which would affect the normal operation of the evaporator 131 and reduce the cooling effect of the first compartment 121.

[0072] Furthermore, the refrigerator also includes a frost sensor and a controller. The frost sensor is used to detect the frost and / or defrosting status in the first compartment 121 in real time. The controller is electrically connected to the frost sensor, the fan 4, the first electric damper 51, and the second electric damper 52. Based on the detection data of the frost sensor, the controller controls the operation of the fan 4 and the opening of the first electric damper 51 and the second electric damper 52 to defrost the evaporator 131. The refrigerator has a high degree of automation and can handle the frost on the surface of the evaporator 131 in a timely manner. This prevents excessive frost on the surface of the evaporator 131 from causing the evaporator 131 to lose its cooling effect and thus affecting the operation of the refrigerator.

[0073] The refrigerator also includes a drip tray and a drain pipe; the drip tray is located in the first compartment 121; one end of the drain pipe is connected to the drip tray, and the other end of the drain pipe is connected to the outside of the refrigerator; the condensate in the first compartment 121 is collected in the drip tray and discharged through the drain pipe to prevent bacteria from growing when there is too much water in the drip tray.

[0074] The dehumidification component 3 is installed at the first air inlet and the first air outlet via a snap-fit ​​structure, making it easy to install and remove, and enabling the recycling of the dehumidification function.

[0075] In addition, the air inlet duct 21 and the air return duct 22 can be injection molded.

[0076] Example 2

[0077] Unlike Embodiment 1, the dehumidification assembly 3 includes multiple baffles spaced apart along the first air inlet or the first air outlet; the multiple baffles are at an angle α to the airflow direction, where 0° < α < 90°; a water collection trough is provided below the multiple baffles; and a second flow channel is formed between adjacent baffles.

[0078] When the refrigerator is in defrost mode, when the humid and hot air flows through the second flow channel, the water vapor in it comes into contact with the baffle and collides and condenses into water droplets, which then drip down the baffle into the water collection tank. In this way, the humid and hot air is transformed into dry and hot air, which then defrosts the evaporator 131 and improves the defrosting effect.

[0079] Exemplary embodiments of this disclosure have been specifically shown and described above. It should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the detailed structures, arrangements, or implementations described herein; rather, this disclosure is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements contained within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A refrigerator, characterized in that, The refrigerator includes a first compartment and a second compartment arranged along the height direction of the refrigerator. The first compartment has a first air inlet on the left side wall and a first air outlet on the right side wall. The second compartment has a second air outlet on the left side wall and a second air inlet on the right side wall. The first air inlet and the second air outlet are connected by an air inlet duct, and the second air inlet and the first air outlet are connected by a return air duct. The first compartment houses the evaporator, and the second compartment houses the compressor; The air inlet duct is used to send hot and humid air from the second chamber into the first chamber; the air return duct is used to send defrosted air from the first chamber into the second chamber; both the air inlet duct and the air return duct are equipped with control dampers; The air inlet duct and / or return duct are equipped with a dehumidification component, which includes a housing, a barrier membrane, and an adsorption element. The barrier membrane is attached to the surface of the housing, and the adsorption element is made of solid particles and fixed on the housing. Multiple first flow channels are formed on the adsorption element. When hot and humid air flows through the barrier membrane, the barrier membrane can trap a large number of water molecules in the air. When hot and humid air flows through multiple first channels, the adsorption element can adsorb a small amount of water molecules in the air; When the refrigerator is in defrost mode, the control dampers of both the air inlet and return air ducts are open; When the refrigerator is in normal operation, the control dampers of the air inlet and return air ducts are both closed.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The refrigerator includes a cabinet, which includes two oppositely arranged side walls, and the air inlet duct and the air return duct are respectively embedded in the foam layer of the two oppositely arranged side walls.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the dehumidification component is disposed in the air inlet duct, the dehumidification component is disposed at one end of the air inlet duct near the first compartment; When the dehumidification component is installed in the return air duct, the dehumidification component is installed at one end of the return air duct near the first compartment.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 3, characterized in that, The dehumidification component also includes a filter screen; when the air entering the air inlet or return duct flows through the filter screen, particulate matter can be filtered out.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 4, characterized in that, The dehumidification components are located at the first air inlet and the first air outlet; When the refrigerator is in defrost mode, the humid and hot air from the second compartment enters the first compartment through the air inlet duct and then returns to the second compartment through the air return duct.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 5, characterized in that, The control damper is an electric damper, including a first electric damper and a second electric damper; the first electric damper is located in the air inlet duct near the first air inlet, and the first electric damper can control the opening or closing of the first air inlet; the second electric damper is located in the return air duct near the first exhaust air outlet, and the second electric damper can control the opening or closing of the first exhaust air outlet.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 6, characterized in that, The refrigerator also includes a frost sensor and a controller. The frost sensor is used to detect the frost and / or defrosting status in the first compartment in real time. The controller is electrically connected to the frost sensor, the first electric damper and the second electric damper, and controls the first electric damper and the second electric damper to open according to the detection data of the frost sensor, thereby defrosting the evaporator.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 5, characterized in that, The dehumidification assembly includes multiple baffles spaced apart along the first air inlet or the first air outlet; the multiple baffles are at an angle α to the direction of air flow, where 0° < α < 90°; a water collection trough is provided below the multiple baffles; a second flow channel is formed between adjacent baffles; When hot and humid air flows through the second channel, the water vapor in it comes into contact with the baffle, collides and coalesces into water droplets, and then drips down the baffle into the water receiving tank.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The refrigerator also includes a drip tray and a drain pipe; the drip tray is located in the first compartment; one end of the drain pipe is connected to the drip tray, and the other end of the drain pipe is connected to the outside of the refrigerator; the condensate in the first compartment is collected in the drip tray and discharged through the drain pipe.

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