Refrigerating and freezing device and control method thereof

Abstract

The application provides a refrigerating and freezing device and a control method thereof. The refrigerating and freezing device comprises a first storage compartment, a second storage compartment and a refrigerating system, the refrigerating system comprises a compressor, a gas-liquid separator, a first refrigerant supply branch and a second refrigerant supply branch; the first refrigerant supply branch is connected between a gas phase discharge port of the gas-liquid separator and a suction port of the compressor, and a first evaporator for supplying refrigeration to the first storage compartment is arranged in the first refrigerant supply branch; the second refrigerant supply branch is connected between a liquid phase discharge port of the gas-liquid separator and the suction port of the compressor, and a second evaporator for supplying refrigeration to the second storage compartment is arranged in the second refrigerant supply branch; and the control method comprises: detecting temperatures of the first storage compartment and the second storage compartment; and distributing refrigerant flow capacities of the first refrigerant supply branch and the second refrigerant supply branch according to the temperatures of the first storage compartment and the second storage compartment. The application is beneficial to improving the refrigerating capacity of the refrigerating and freezing device by reasonably distributing refrigeration capacity, and makes it easy to realize multi-temperature-zone refrigeration.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to refrigeration, and more particularly to refrigeration and freezing apparatus and control methods thereof. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, some refrigeration and freezing devices on the market, such as freezers, use gas-liquid separators to separate the refrigerant into gas and liquid components. However, these systems often only have one evaporator, which can only provide cooling in a single temperature zone and cannot provide cooling in multiple temperature zones. This limits the application of refrigeration and freezing devices.

[0003] The inventors recognized that how to rationally arrange multiple evaporators in a refrigeration system and how to rationally allocate the cooling capacity of multiple evaporators are technical problems that urgently need to be solved in order to achieve multi-temperature zone cooling in a refrigeration system. Summary of the Invention

[0004] One object of the present invention is to overcome at least one defect of the prior art and to provide a refrigeration and freezing apparatus and its control method.

[0005] A further objective of this invention is to improve the refrigeration capacity of refrigeration and freezing devices, making them easier to implement multi-temperature zone cooling.

[0006] Another further objective of this invention is to enable the refrigeration and freezing apparatus to achieve refrigeration effects in every temperature zone.

[0007] Another objective of this invention is to flexibly adjust the refrigeration effect of each temperature zone of the refrigeration and freezing device.

[0008] Another further objective of this invention is to simplify the structure of the refrigeration system in a refrigeration and freezing apparatus.

[0009] Specifically, according to one aspect of the present invention, a control method for a refrigeration and freezing apparatus is provided. The refrigeration and freezing apparatus includes a first storage compartment, a second storage compartment, and a refrigeration system. The refrigeration system includes a compressor, a gas-liquid separator, a first cooling branch, and a second cooling branch. The first cooling branch is connected between the gas phase outlet of the gas-liquid separator and the suction port of the compressor, and has a first evaporator disposed therein for cooling the first storage compartment. The second cooling branch is connected between the liquid phase outlet of the gas-liquid separator and the suction port of the compressor, and has a second evaporator disposed therein for cooling the second storage compartment. The control method includes: detecting the temperatures of the first storage compartment and the second storage compartment; and allocating the refrigerant flow rate of the first cooling branch and the second cooling branch according to the temperatures of the first storage compartment and the second storage compartment to regulate the temperatures of the first storage compartment and the second storage compartment.

[0010] Optionally, the refrigeration system further includes an electrically operated switching valve and a third cooling branch connected in parallel with the second cooling branch; the electrically operated switching valve is connected between the liquid phase outlet and the second and third cooling branches, and has multiple valve ports for communicating with the second and third cooling branches respectively; the electrically operated switching valve is used to regulate the flow path of the refrigerant flowing through it by controlling the opening or closing of the valve ports; and the step of distributing the refrigerant flow of the first and second cooling branches according to the temperatures of the first and second storage compartments includes: adjusting the opening and closing states of the multiple valve ports of the electrically operated switching valve according to the temperatures of the first and second storage compartments.

[0011] Optionally, the step of adjusting the opening and closing status of multiple valve ports of the electric switching valve according to the temperature of the first storage compartment and the second storage compartment includes: determining whether the temperature of the second storage compartment has reached a preset second temperature threshold; if so, determining whether the temperature of the first storage compartment has reached a preset first temperature threshold; if not, opening the valve port for connecting to the third cooling branch and closing the valve port for connecting to the second cooling branch.

[0012] Optionally, the step of adjusting the opening and closing status of multiple valve ports of the electric switching valve according to the temperature of the first storage compartment and the second storage compartment includes: determining whether the temperature of the second storage compartment has reached a preset second temperature threshold; if not, determining whether the temperature of the first storage compartment has reached a preset first temperature threshold; if so, opening the valve port for connecting to the second cooling branch and closing the valve port for connecting to the third cooling branch.

[0013] Optionally, the step of adjusting the opening and closing state of multiple valve ports of the electric switching valve according to the temperature of the first storage compartment and the second storage compartment includes: determining whether the temperature of the first storage compartment has reached a preset first temperature threshold; if not, determining whether the temperature of the second storage compartment has reached a preset second temperature threshold; if not, determining the temperature adjustment priority between the first storage compartment and the second storage compartment, and adjusting the opening and closing state of multiple valve ports of the electric switching valve according to the temperature adjustment priority.

[0014] Optionally, the step of determining the temperature regulation priority between the first storage compartment and the second storage compartment includes: calculating the temperature difference between the second storage compartment and the first storage compartment; and determining the temperature regulation priority between the first storage compartment and the second storage compartment based on the temperature difference.

[0015] Optionally, the step of determining the temperature adjustment priority between the first storage compartment and the second storage compartment based on the difference includes: determining whether the difference is greater than or equal to a preset difference threshold; if yes, determining that the temperature adjustment priority of the second storage compartment is higher than that of the first storage compartment; if no, determining that the temperature adjustment priority of the first storage compartment is higher than that of the second storage compartment.

[0016] Optionally, the valve port for connecting to the second cooling branch includes a first valve port and a second valve port; the second cooling branch is also provided with a throttling assembly connected in series with the second evaporator, and the throttling assembly includes a first throttling device and a second throttling device arranged in parallel with each other, wherein the first throttling device is connected to the first valve port and the second throttling device is connected to the second valve port; the third cooling branch is provided with a third throttling device; and the step of adjusting the opening and closing state of multiple valve ports of the electric switching valve according to the temperature adjustment priority includes: when it is determined that the temperature adjustment priority of the second storage room is higher than the temperature adjustment priority of the first storage room, opening the first valve port and the second valve port, and closing the valve port for connecting to the third cooling branch; when it is determined that the temperature adjustment priority of the first storage room is higher than the temperature adjustment priority of the second storage room, opening the first valve port, and closing the second valve port and the valve port for connecting to the third cooling branch.

[0017] According to another aspect of the present invention, a refrigeration and freezing apparatus is also provided, comprising a first storage compartment, a second storage compartment, and a refrigeration system. The refrigeration system includes a compressor, a gas-liquid separator, a first cooling branch, and a second cooling branch. The first cooling branch is connected between the gas phase outlet of the gas-liquid separator and the suction port of the compressor, and has a first evaporator therein for cooling the first storage compartment. The second cooling branch is connected between the liquid phase outlet of the gas-liquid separator and the suction port of the compressor, and has a second evaporator therein for cooling the second storage compartment. The refrigeration and freezing apparatus is controlled using the control method of the refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to any one of the above claims.

[0018] Optionally, the refrigeration system further includes: a heat recovery component, comprising a heat release section and a heat absorption section, wherein the heat release section is connected between the gas phase outlet of the gas-liquid separator and the inlet of the first evaporator, and the heat absorption section is connected between the outlet of the first evaporator and the suction port of the compressor; and the heat absorption section and the heat release section are thermally connected; the heat absorption section is also thermally connected to the first throttling device and the second throttling device of the second cooling branch, and the third throttling device in the third cooling branch of the refrigeration system; and the first cooling branch is further provided with: a fourth throttling device, connected between the heat release section and the inlet of the first evaporator; and a pre-recovery pipe section, connected between the outlet of the first evaporator and the heat absorption section, and thermally connected to the fourth throttling device.

[0019] The refrigeration and freezing apparatus and its control method of the present invention, by rationally arranging multiple evaporators in the refrigeration system, such that the first evaporator is connected between the gas phase outlet of the gas-liquid separator and the suction port of the compressor, and the second evaporator is connected between the liquid phase outlet of the gas-liquid separator and the suction port of the compressor, and the refrigerant flow to the first evaporator and the second evaporator is allocated according to the temperature of the first storage chamber and the second storage chamber, can rationally allocate the cooling capacity of multiple evaporators, which is beneficial to improving the refrigeration capacity of the refrigeration and freezing apparatus and making it easy to achieve multi-temperature zone cooling.

[0020] Furthermore, the refrigeration and freezing apparatus and its control method of the present invention compare the temperature of each storage compartment with the corresponding temperature threshold, determine the temperature adjustment priority of each temperature zone based on the comparison result, and then control the opening and closing state of multiple valve ports of the electric switching valve according to the temperature adjustment priority of each temperature zone, so that each temperature zone of the refrigeration and freezing apparatus can quickly reach the preset preservation temperature, which is beneficial to taking into account the refrigeration effect of multiple temperature zones.

[0021] Furthermore, the refrigeration and freezing device and its control method of the present invention, by using an electric switching valve to connect the second cooling branch and the third cooling branch, and controlling multiple valve ports of the electric switching valve, can flexibly adjust the cooling effect of each temperature zone of the refrigeration and freezing device. The method is simple and the logic is straightforward, which helps to reduce operating costs.

[0022] Furthermore, the refrigeration and freezing apparatus and its control method of the present invention, through a simple and ingenious structural improvement, utilize the heat-absorbing part and the heat-releasing part connected by heat to form a regenerative component, which can improve the cooling effect of each evaporator of the refrigeration and freezing apparatus, making it easy to achieve low-temperature cooling. This helps to simplify the structure of the refrigeration system of the refrigeration and freezing apparatus and reduce the manufacturing cost of the refrigeration and freezing apparatus and its refrigeration system.

[0023] The above and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0024] The following sections will describe some specific embodiments of the invention in detail by way of example and not limitation, with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals in the drawings denote the same or similar parts or portions. Those skilled in the art should understand that these drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. In the drawings:

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic block diagram of a refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows a schematic structural diagram of a refrigeration and freezing device.

[0027] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the refrigeration system of a refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a control method for a refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 5 This is a control flowchart of a refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0030] Figure 1 This is a schematic block diagram of a refrigeration and freezing apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows a schematic structure of the refrigeration and freezing device 10.

[0031] The refrigeration and freezing unit 10 generally includes a housing 130 and a refrigeration system 200 disposed within the housing 130. The housing 130 may have multiple storage compartments. The refrigeration system 200 is used to supply cooling to the multiple storage compartments.

[0032] The refrigeration and freezing unit 10 can be a household refrigeration device used to store food, medicine, or other items, such as a refrigerator or freezer. Figure 2 The structure of the refrigeration and freezing device 10 is illustrated using only a freezer as an example, but it should not be regarded as a specific limitation on the refrigeration and freezing device 10.

[0033] In this embodiment, the refrigeration and freezing device 10 has two storage compartments, namely a first storage compartment 131 and a second storage compartment 132. The refrigeration system 200 is used to cool the first storage compartment 131 and the second storage compartment 132. In some optional embodiments, additional storage compartments may be added inside the cabinet 130 of the refrigeration and freezing device 10. These additional storage compartments can share an evaporator with the first storage compartment 131 and / or the second storage compartment 132, utilizing the cooling capacity of the refrigeration system 200 to create a low-temperature preservation atmosphere.

[0034] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the refrigeration system 200 of a refrigeration and freezing apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] The refrigeration system 200 generally includes a compressor 210, a gas-liquid separator 220, a first cooling branch and a second cooling branch, and may further include a condenser 380, a dryer filter 350, an electric switching valve 310, a third cooling branch and a regeneration assembly. Here, the regeneration assembly refers to the first regeneration assembly.

[0036] The compressor 210 provides power to the refrigeration system 200, enabling the refrigerant to circulate within the refrigeration system 200. The compressor 210 has an intake port for refrigerant to flow into it and an exhaust port for refrigerant to flow out of it.

[0037] The gas-liquid separator 220 is used to separate the refrigerant flowing through it into two phases, gas and liquid. It has an inlet for allowing refrigerant to flow in, a gas phase outlet for discharging the gaseous refrigerant, and a liquid phase outlet for discharging the liquid refrigerant. That is, the refrigerant flows into the gas-liquid separator 220 from the inlet, is separated into two phases within the separator, forming a gaseous refrigerant and a liquid refrigerant. The gaseous refrigerant exits the gas-liquid separator 220 from the gas phase outlet, and the liquid refrigerant exits the gas-liquid separator 220 from the liquid phase outlet. Figure 3 Point P1 in the diagram indicates the gas phase outlet, and point P2 indicates the liquid phase outlet.

[0038] The first cooling branch is connected between the gas phase outlet of the gas-liquid separator 220 and the suction port of the compressor 210, and is equipped with a first evaporator 230 for cooling the first storage compartment 131. Specifically, the gaseous refrigerant separated by the gas-liquid separator 220 flows through the first evaporator 230. The refrigerant vaporizes and absorbs heat as it flows through the first evaporator 230, enabling the first evaporator 230 to provide cooling to the first storage compartment 131. The first evaporator 230 can lower the temperature of the first storage compartment 131 to -40°C to -60°C, thereby enabling the refrigeration and freezing device 10 to achieve deep-freezing functionality.

[0039] The first cooling branch may also be equipped with a fourth throttling device 250 and a preheating pipe section 260. The fourth throttling device 250 is connected between the gas phase outlet and the inlet of the first evaporator 230, for example, it can be connected between the heat dissipation section 241 of the first reheating component and the inlet of the first evaporator 230.

[0040] The throttling device in this embodiment can be a capillary tube, an expansion valve, etc. Figure 3 The throttling device shown is only an example of a capillary tube, but should not be considered as a type of throttling device limited to capillary tubes.

[0041] The preheating pipe section 260 connects the outlet of the first evaporator 230 and the suction port of the compressor 210, for example, it can be connected between the outlet of the first evaporator 230 and the heat absorption section 242 of the first regenerative assembly. The preheating pipe section 260 is also thermally connected to the fourth throttling device 250. The preheating pipe section 260 and the fourth throttling device 250 can form another regenerative assembly, namely the second regenerative assembly. Figure 3 The dashed box K1 shows the first regenerative component, and the dashed box K2 shows the second regenerative component.

[0042] Heat exchange is possible between the preheating pipe section 260 and the fourth throttling device 250.

[0043] In this embodiment, the thermal connection method can be set according to the actual situation. For example, the two thermally connected components can be arranged adjacent to each other, or they can be arranged close to each other, or they can be arranged wrapped around each other, but it is not limited to these.

[0044] The second cooling branch connects the liquid phase outlet of the gas-liquid separator 220 to the suction port of the compressor 210, and includes a second evaporator 270 for cooling the second storage compartment 132. Specifically, the liquid refrigerant separated by the gas-liquid separator 220 flows through the second evaporator 270. The refrigerant vaporizes and absorbs heat as it flows through the second evaporator 270, enabling the second evaporator 270 to provide cooling to the second storage compartment 132. The second evaporator 270 can lower the temperature of the second storage compartment 132 to 0°C to -20°C, thus enabling the refrigeration and freezing unit 10 to perform its normal freezing function.

[0045] By arranging a second evaporator 270 in the refrigeration system 200 and allowing the liquid refrigerant separated by the gas-liquid separator 220 to flow through the second evaporator 270, the refrigeration and freezing apparatus 10 of this embodiment can achieve low-temperature cooling using the first evaporator 230, and also use the second evaporator 270 for cooling. This facilitates multi-temperature zone cooling of the refrigeration system 200. Using the refrigeration system 200 of this embodiment, both low-temperature zone (-40 to -60°C) cooling and ordinary freezing zone (0 to -20°C) cooling can be achieved simultaneously.

[0046] The second cooling branch is also equipped with a throttling component connected in series with the second evaporator 270, and the throttling component includes a first throttling device 280 and a second throttling device 290 arranged in parallel with each other.

[0047] The condenser 380 is connected between the discharge port of the compressor 210 and the inlet of the gas-liquid separator 220. The refrigerant liquefies and releases heat as it flows through the condenser 380. The dryer filter 350 is connected between the discharge port of the condenser 380 and the inlet of the gas-liquid separator 220. The dryer filter 350 filters impurities from the refrigerant and prevents ice blockage.

[0048] The third cooling branch is connected in parallel with the second cooling branch, meaning that the third cooling branch is also connected between the liquid phase outlet of the gas-liquid separator 220 and the suction port of the compressor 210. A third throttling device 330 is installed in the third cooling branch.

[0049] The electric switching valve 310 is connected between the liquid phase outlet and the second and third cooling branches, and has multiple valve ports for connecting to the second and third cooling branches respectively. The electric switching valve 310 is used to regulate the flow path of the refrigerant flowing through it by controlling the opening or closing of the valve ports.

[0050] The valve port for connecting to the second cooling branch includes a first valve port and a second valve port. A first throttling device 280 is connected to the first valve port, and a second throttling device 290 is connected to the second valve port. The valve port for connecting to the third cooling branch can be designated as the third valve port, and it is connected to the third throttling device 330. Those skilled in the art, based on their understanding of this embodiment, should readily recognize the location of each valve port; the valve ports are not shown in the illustrations.

[0051] The regenerative assembly includes a heat-releasing section 241 and a heat-absorbing section 242. The heat-releasing section 241 is connected between the gas phase outlet of the gas-liquid separator 220 and the inlet of the first evaporator 230, and the heat-absorbing section 242 is connected between the outlet of the first evaporator 230 and the suction port of the compressor 210. The heat-absorbing section 242 and the heat-releasing section 241 are thermally connected.

[0052] Heat exchange can occur between the heat-absorbing part 242 and the heat-releasing part 241 that are thermally connected. In this embodiment, the thermal connection method can be set according to the actual situation. For example, the heat-absorbing part 242 and the heat-releasing part 241 can be arranged adjacent to each other, or they can be arranged close to each other, or they can be arranged intertwined, but it is not limited to these.

[0053] By thermally connecting the heat-releasing section 241 and the heat-absorbing section 242, and thermally connecting the preheating pipe section 260 and the fourth throttling device 250, the refrigerant flowing through the heat-absorbing section 242 can absorb the heat of the refrigerant flowing through the heat-releasing section 241, and the refrigerant flowing through the preheating pipe section 260 can absorb the heat of the refrigerant flowing through the fourth throttling device 250. This not only helps the refrigerant to fully condense before flowing to the inlet of the first evaporator 230, but also improves the energy utilization efficiency of the refrigeration system 200 and the refrigeration and freezing device 10.

[0054] By using a simple and ingenious structural improvement, the heat absorption part 242 and the heat release part 241 connected by heat can form a heat recovery component, thereby improving the cooling effect of each evaporator of the refrigeration and freezing device 10 and making it easier to achieve low-temperature cooling. This helps to simplify the structure of the refrigeration system 200 of the refrigeration and freezing device 10 and reduce the manufacturing cost of the refrigeration and freezing device 10 and its refrigeration system 200.

[0055] In this embodiment, the heat-absorbing part 242 is also thermally connected to the first throttling device 280 and the second throttling device 290 of the second cooling branch, and the third throttling device 330 in the third cooling branch of the refrigeration system 200. That is, the heat-absorbing part 242, the heat-releasing part 241, the first throttling device 280, the second throttling device 290 and the third throttling device 330 together form the first heat recovery assembly. This is beneficial to enhance the heat recovery effect of the heat-absorbing part 242 and also reduces the difficulty of condensation of the refrigerant flowing through the heat-releasing part 241.

[0056] In some embodiments, the refrigeration and freezing apparatus 10 may further include a processor and a memory, which can form a control device that may be disposed within the housing 130. The memory stores a control program, which, when executed by the processor, implements the control method of the refrigeration and freezing apparatus 10 according to any of the following embodiments. The processor may be a central processing unit (CPU), a digital processing unit (DSP), etc. The memory stores the program executed by the processor. The memory may be any medium capable of carrying or storing desired program code having the form of instructions or data structures and accessible by a computer, but is not limited thereto. The memory may also be a combination of various types of memory. Since the control program, when executed by the processor, implements the various processes of the following method embodiments and achieves the same technical effects, it will not be described again here to avoid repetition.

[0057] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a control method for a refrigeration and freezing apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The control method generally includes:

[0058] Step S402: Detect the temperature of the first storage compartment 131 and the second storage compartment 132.

[0059] Step S404: Allocate the refrigerant flow of the first cooling branch and the second cooling branch according to the temperature of the first storage room 131 and the second storage room 132, so as to regulate the temperature of the first storage room 131 and the second storage room 132.

[0060] The refrigeration and freezing device 10 and its control method in this embodiment, by rationally arranging multiple evaporators in the refrigeration system 200, such that the first evaporator 230 is connected between the gas phase outlet of the gas-liquid separator 220 and the suction port of the compressor 210, and the second evaporator 270 is connected between the liquid phase outlet of the gas-liquid separator 220 and the suction port of the compressor 210, and the refrigerant flow to the first evaporator 230 and the second evaporator 270 is distributed according to the temperature of the first storage chamber 131 and the second storage chamber 132, can rationally distribute the cooling capacity of multiple evaporators, which is beneficial to improving the refrigeration capacity of the refrigeration and freezing device 10 and making it easy to achieve multi-temperature zone cooling.

[0061] For example, the refrigeration and freezing unit 10 may be equipped with a first temperature detection device for detecting the temperature of the first storage compartment 131 and a second temperature detection device for detecting the temperature of the second storage compartment 132. In step S402 above, the first temperature detection device and the second temperature detection device can be controlled to detect the temperature of the first storage compartment 131 and the second storage compartment 132 respectively.

[0062] In step S404 above, the electric switching valve 310 can be controlled to allocate the refrigerant flow of the first cooling branch and the second cooling branch.

[0063] The step of allocating the refrigerant flow of the first cooling branch and the second cooling branch according to the temperature of the first storage compartment 131 and the second storage compartment 132 may include: adjusting the opening and closing state of multiple valve ports of the electric switching valve 310 according to the temperature of the first storage compartment 131 and the second storage compartment 132.

[0064] By using the electric switching valve 310 to connect the second and third cooling branches and controlling the multiple valve ports of the electric switching valve 310, the cooling effect of each temperature zone of the refrigeration and freezing unit 10 can be flexibly adjusted. The method is simple and the logic is straightforward, which helps to reduce operating costs.

[0065] The steps for regulating the opening and closing states of multiple valve ports of the temperature-regulating electric switching valve 310 for the first storage compartment 131 and the second storage compartment 132 include: determining whether the temperature of the second storage compartment 132 has reached a preset second temperature threshold; if the temperature of the second storage compartment 132 has reached the preset second temperature threshold, then determining whether the temperature of the first storage compartment 131 has reached a preset first temperature threshold; if the temperature of the first storage compartment 131 has not reached the preset first temperature threshold, then opening the valve port for connecting to the third cooling branch and closing the valve port for connecting to the second cooling branch. The valve port connected to the third cooling branch refers to the third valve port, and the valve ports connected to the second cooling branch refer to the first valve port and the second valve port.

[0066] The first and second temperature thresholds can be preset according to the user's actual needs, representing the user's expected preservation temperature. For example, the first temperature threshold can be any value within the range of -60 to -40℃, and the second temperature threshold can be any value within the range of 0 to -20℃. The temperature of the first storage compartment 131 reaching the first temperature threshold means that the temperature of the first storage compartment 131 is less than or equal to the first temperature threshold. The temperature of the second storage compartment 132 reaching the second temperature threshold means that the temperature of the second storage compartment 132 is less than or equal to the second temperature threshold.

[0067] When the temperature of the first storage compartment 131 has not reached the first temperature threshold and the temperature of the second storage compartment 132 has reached the second temperature threshold, the temperature regulation priority of the first storage compartment 131 is higher than that of the second storage compartment 132. At this time, by opening the valve port for connecting to the third cooling branch and closing the valve port for connecting to the second cooling branch, the refrigerant discharged from the gas phase outlet flows sequentially through the fourth throttling device 250 and the first evaporator 230, while the refrigerant discharged from the liquid phase outlet flows through the third throttling device 330 and does not flow through the second evaporator 270. The refrigerant after being throttled by the third throttling device 330 is used to cool the refrigerant flowing through the heat dissipation section 241, which allows the temperature of the first storage compartment 131 to quickly reach the preset preservation temperature.

[0068] The steps for regulating the opening and closing states of multiple valve ports of the electric switching valve 310 for temperature control of the first storage compartment 131 and the second storage compartment 132 include: determining whether the temperature of the second storage compartment 132 has reached a preset second temperature threshold; if the temperature of the second storage compartment 132 has not reached the preset second temperature threshold, determining whether the temperature of the first storage compartment 131 has reached a preset first temperature threshold; if so, opening the valve port for connection to the second cooling branch and closing the valve port for connection to the third cooling branch. The valve port connected to the third cooling branch refers to the third valve port, and the valve ports connected to the second cooling branch refer to the first valve port and the second valve port.

[0069] When the temperature of the second storage compartment 132 has not reached the second temperature threshold and the temperature of the first storage compartment 131 has reached the first temperature threshold, the temperature regulation priority of the second storage compartment 132 is higher than that of the first storage compartment 131. At this time, by opening the valve port for connecting to the second cooling branch and closing the valve port for connecting to the third cooling branch, the refrigerant discharged from the gas phase outlet flows sequentially through the fourth throttling device 250 and the first evaporator 230, and the refrigerant discharged from the liquid phase outlet flows sequentially through the throttling component and the second evaporator 270. The first throttling device 280 and the second throttling device 290 are both connected to the second evaporator 270. At this time, due to the reduced resistance of the refrigerant flowing to the second evaporator 270, most of the refrigerant enters the second evaporator 270 through the first throttling device 280 and the second throttling device 290, which allows the second storage compartment 132 to quickly reach the preset preservation temperature.

[0070] The step of adjusting the opening and closing states of multiple valve ports of the electric switching valve 310 according to the temperature of the first storage compartment 131 and the second storage compartment 132 may further include: determining whether the temperature of the first storage compartment 131 has reached a preset first temperature threshold; if the temperature of the first storage compartment 131 has not reached the preset first temperature threshold, determining whether the temperature of the second storage compartment 132 has reached a preset second temperature threshold; if the temperature of the second storage compartment 132 has not reached the preset second temperature threshold, determining the temperature adjustment priority between the first storage compartment 131 and the second storage compartment 132, and adjusting the opening and closing states of multiple valve ports of the electric switching valve 310 according to the temperature adjustment priority.

[0071] In other words, if the temperature of the first storage compartment 131 does not reach the first temperature threshold and the temperature of the second storage compartment 132 does not reach the second temperature threshold, it is necessary to first determine the temperature adjustment priority between the first storage compartment 131 and the second storage compartment 132. Adjusting the opening and closing states of multiple valves of the electric switching valve 310 according to the temperature adjustment priority ensures that each temperature zone of the refrigeration and freezing unit 10 can quickly reach the preset preservation temperature, which is beneficial for balancing the cooling effect of multiple temperature zones.

[0072] The step of determining the temperature regulation priority between the first storage compartment 131 and the second storage compartment 132 includes: calculating the temperature difference between the second storage compartment 132 and the first storage compartment 131, and determining the temperature regulation priority between the first storage compartment 131 and the second storage compartment 132 based on the temperature difference.

[0073] The step of determining the temperature regulation priority between the first storage compartment 131 and the second storage compartment 132 based on the temperature difference includes: determining whether the temperature difference is greater than or equal to a preset temperature difference threshold; if so, determining that the temperature regulation priority of the second storage compartment 132 is higher than that of the first storage compartment 131; if not, determining that the temperature regulation priority of the first storage compartment 131 is higher than that of the second storage compartment 132. The temperature difference threshold can be preset based on the difference between a first temperature threshold and a second temperature threshold. For example, the first temperature threshold can be -50℃, the second temperature threshold can be -15℃, and the temperature difference threshold can be any value within the range of 5 to 10℃.

[0074] The temperature difference between the second storage compartment 132 and the first storage compartment 131 can accurately reflect the temperature status of the two storage compartments. By comparing the temperature difference between the two storage compartments with a preset difference threshold, the temperature adjustment priority of the two storage compartments can be determined. This method is not only simple but also highly accurate, which helps to improve the accuracy and reliability of the temperature adjustment process.

[0075] The steps of adjusting the opening and closing states of multiple valve ports of the electric switching valve 310 according to the temperature adjustment priority include: when it is determined that the temperature adjustment priority of the second storage compartment 132 is higher than the temperature adjustment priority of the first storage compartment 131, opening the first valve port and the second valve port, and closing the valve port used to connect to the third cooling branch, i.e., closing the third valve port; when it is determined that the temperature adjustment priority of the first storage compartment 131 is higher than the temperature adjustment priority of the second storage compartment 132, opening the first valve port, and closing the second valve port and the valve port used to connect to the third cooling branch, i.e., closing the second valve port and the third valve port.

[0076] In this embodiment, the step of adjusting the opening and closing states of multiple valve ports of the electric switching valve 310 according to the temperature of the first storage chamber 131 and the second storage chamber 132 may further include: when the temperature of the first storage chamber 131 reaches a preset first temperature threshold and the temperature of the second storage chamber 132 reaches a preset second temperature threshold, opening the first valve port and closing the second valve port and the third valve port.

[0077] In the above steps, with the first valve port open and the second and third valve ports closed, the refrigerant flow rate through the second evaporator 270 is at a medium level, and the refrigerant flow rate through the first evaporator 230 is at a medium level. With the first and second valve ports open and the third valve port closed, the refrigerant flow rate through the second evaporator 270 is at its highest level, and the refrigerant flow rate through the first evaporator 230 is at its lowest level. With the first and second valve ports closed and the third valve port open, the refrigerant flow rate through the second evaporator 270 is at its lowest level, and the refrigerant flow rate through the first evaporator 230 is at its highest level. The refrigerant flow rate level for each evaporator is relative to the refrigerant flow rate of the corresponding evaporator.

[0078] By controlling the opening and closing states of multiple valve ports of the electric switching valve 310, the refrigerant flow levels of the first evaporator 230 and the second evaporator 270 can be switched to achieve temperature regulation for each temperature zone.

[0079] The refrigeration system 200 of this embodiment can use a mixed refrigerant composed of a high-boiling-point refrigerant and a low-boiling-point refrigerant. The compressor 210 compresses the low-pressure mixed refrigerant at room temperature into a high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant. The gaseous refrigerant partially condenses in the condenser 380, and the refrigerant discharged through the outlet of the condenser 380 is a gas-liquid mixture. After entering the gas-liquid separator 220, the gas-liquid mixture is separated into two phases. The gaseous refrigerant is rich in low-boiling-point refrigerant, flows through the heat release section 241 and is condensed into a subcooled liquid, then flows sequentially through the fourth throttling device 250 and the first evaporator 230, where it evaporates and absorbs heat to cool the first storage compartment 131. The liquid refrigerant is rich in high-boiling-point refrigerant, flows sequentially through the first throttling device 280 and / or the second throttling device 290 and the second evaporator 270, where it evaporates and absorbs heat to cool the second storage compartment 132. The low-pressure refrigerant discharged from the outlet of the second evaporator 270 mixes with the low-pressure refrigerant discharged from the first evaporator 230 and heated by the preheating pipe section 260, and then enters the heat absorption section 242 to cool the gaseous refrigerant discharged from the gas phase outlet of the gas-liquid separator 220. The refrigerant discharged from the outlet of the heat absorption section 242 flows through the suction port of the compressor 210 and enters the compressor 210, thus completing one refrigeration cycle.

[0080] The high-boiling-point refrigerant in the mixed refrigerant can be R600a or R134a, and the low-boiling-point refrigerant can be R290, R1150, R170, R1270 or R50. The mass ratio of the high-boiling-point refrigerant in the mixed refrigerant ranges from 0.6 to 0.9.

[0081] The refrigerant temperature after throttling by the first throttling device 280 and / or the second throttling device 290 can be -10 to -30℃. The refrigerant temperature after throttling by the fourth throttling device 250, i.e., the outlet refrigerant temperature of the fourth throttling device 250, can be -50 to -70℃.

[0082] The second evaporator 270 can be attached to the inner liner of the second storage compartment 132 through aluminum foil, and the first evaporator 230 can be attached to the inner liner of the first storage compartment 131 through aluminum foil, thereby realizing the transfer of the evaporator's cooling capacity to the storage compartment.

[0083] In this embodiment, the refrigerant flowing through the heat-absorbing section 242 of the first regenerating assembly is cold fluid A, which is a low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant before entering the compressor 210. The refrigerant flowing through the heat-releasing section 241 of the first regenerating assembly is hot fluid B. The refrigerant flowing through the first throttling device 280 is hot fluid C. The refrigerant flowing through the second throttling device 290 is hot fluid D. The refrigerant flowing through the third throttling device 330 is hot fluid E. Hot fluid B is a high-pressure refrigerant flowing out of the gas phase outlet of the gas-liquid separator 220, and hot fluids C, D, and E are refrigerants flowing out of the liquid phase outlet of the gas-liquid separator 220. Cold fluid A cools down hot fluids B, C, D, and E.

[0084] The cold fluid of the second regenerative assembly is the low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant discharged from the outlet of the first evaporator 230, and the hot fluid of the second regenerative assembly is the refrigerant flowing through the fourth throttling device 250.

[0085] Figure 5 This is a control flowchart of a refrigeration and freezing apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0086] Step S502: Detect the temperature of the first storage compartment 131 and the second storage compartment 132.

[0087] Step S504: Determine whether the temperature of the second storage room 132 has reached the preset second temperature threshold. If yes, proceed to step S506; otherwise, proceed to step S508.

[0088] Step S506: Determine whether the temperature of the first storage room 131 has reached the preset first temperature threshold. If yes, proceed to step S510; otherwise, proceed to step S512.

[0089] Step S508: Determine whether the temperature of the first storage room 131 has reached the preset first temperature threshold. If yes, proceed to step S514; otherwise, proceed to step S514.

[0090] Step S510: Open the first valve port and close the second and third valve ports.

[0091] Step S512: Open the third valve port and close the first and second valve ports.

[0092] Step S514: Open the first valve port and the second valve port, and close the third valve port.

[0093] Step S516: Calculate the temperature difference between the second storage room 132 and the first storage room 131.

[0094] Step S518: Determine whether the difference is greater than or equal to the preset difference threshold. If yes, proceed to step S520; otherwise, proceed to step S524.

[0095] Step S520: Determine that the temperature regulation priority of the second storage room 132 is higher than that of the first storage room 131.

[0096] Step S522: Open the first valve port and the second valve port, and close the third valve port.

[0097] Step S524: Determine that the temperature regulation priority of the first storage room 131 is higher than that of the second storage room 132.

[0098] Step S526: Open the first valve port and close the second and third valve ports.

[0099] The refrigeration and freezing device 10 and its control method in this embodiment, by rationally arranging multiple evaporators in the refrigeration system 200, such that the first evaporator 230 is connected between the gas phase outlet of the gas-liquid separator 220 and the suction port of the compressor 210, and the second evaporator 270 is connected between the liquid phase outlet of the gas-liquid separator 220 and the suction port of the compressor 210, and the refrigerant flow to the first evaporator 230 and the second evaporator 270 is distributed according to the temperature of the first storage chamber 131 and the second storage chamber 132, can rationally distribute the cooling capacity of multiple evaporators, which is beneficial to improving the refrigeration capacity of the refrigeration and freezing device 10 and making it easy to achieve multi-temperature zone cooling.

[0100] Therefore, those skilled in the art should recognize that although numerous exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described in detail herein, many other variations or modifications conforming to the principles of the present invention can be directly determined or derived from the disclosure of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the scope of the present invention should be understood and construed as covering all such other variations or modifications.

Claims

1. A control method for a refrigeration and freezing device, the refrigeration and freezing device comprising a first storage compartment, a second storage compartment, and a refrigeration system, the refrigeration system comprising a compressor, a gas-liquid separator, a first cooling branch, and a second cooling branch; the first cooling branch is connected between the gas phase outlet of the gas-liquid separator and the suction port of the compressor, and is provided therein with a first evaporator for cooling the first storage compartment; the second cooling branch is connected between the liquid phase outlet of the gas-liquid separator and the suction port of the compressor, and is provided therein with a second evaporator for cooling the second storage compartment; And the control method includes: Detect the temperature of the first storage room and the second storage room; The refrigerant flow rate of the first cooling branch and the second cooling branch is allocated according to the temperature of the first storage room and the second storage room to regulate the temperature of the first storage room and the second storage room; The refrigeration system further includes an electric switching valve and a third cooling branch connected in parallel with the second cooling branch; the electric switching valve is connected between the liquid discharge port and the second cooling branch and the third cooling branch, and has a plurality of valve ports for communicating with the second cooling branch and the third cooling branch respectively; the electric switching valve is used to regulate the flow path of the refrigerant flowing through it by controlling the opening or closing of the valve ports. The steps of distributing the refrigerant flow of the first cooling branch and the second cooling branch according to the temperatures of the first storage room and the second storage room include: The opening and closing states of multiple valve ports of the electric switching valve are adjusted according to the temperatures of the first storage room and the second storage room. The step of adjusting the opening and closing states of the plurality of valve ports of the electric switching valve according to the temperatures of the first storage compartment and the second storage compartment includes: Determine whether the temperature of the first storage room has reached a preset first temperature threshold. If not, determine whether the temperature of the second storage room has reached the preset second temperature threshold. If not, then determine the temperature regulation priority between the first storage room and the second storage room, and adjust the opening and closing state of the multiple valve ports of the electric switching valve according to the temperature regulation priority. The valve ports used to connect to the second cooling branch include a first valve port and a second valve port. The step of adjusting the opening and closing states of multiple valve ports of the electric switching valve according to the temperature adjustment priority includes: If it is determined that the temperature regulation priority of the second storage room is higher than that of the first storage room, the first valve port and the second valve port are opened, and the valve port for connecting to the third cooling branch is closed. If it is determined that the temperature regulation priority of the first storage room is higher than that of the second storage room, the first valve port is opened, and the second valve port and the valve port for connecting to the third cooling branch are closed.

2. The control method according to claim 1, wherein The step of adjusting the opening and closing states of the plurality of valve ports of the electric switching valve according to the temperatures of the first storage compartment and the second storage compartment further includes: Determine whether the temperature of the second storage room has reached a preset second temperature threshold. If so, determine whether the temperature of the first storage room has reached the preset first temperature threshold. If not, open the valve port for connecting to the third cooling branch and close the valve port for connecting to the second cooling branch.

3. The control method according to claim 1, wherein... The step of adjusting the opening and closing states of the plurality of valve ports of the electric switching valve according to the temperatures of the first storage compartment and the second storage compartment further includes: Determine whether the temperature of the second storage room has reached a preset second temperature threshold. If not, determine whether the temperature of the first storage room has reached the preset first temperature threshold. If so, open the valve port for connecting to the second cooling branch and close the valve port for connecting to the third cooling branch.

4. The control method according to claim 1, wherein The steps for determining the temperature regulation priority between the first storage compartment and the second storage compartment include: Calculate the temperature difference between the second storage room and the first storage room; The temperature regulation priority between the first storage room and the second storage room is determined based on the difference.

5. The control method according to claim 4, wherein The step of determining the temperature regulation priority between the first storage compartment and the second storage compartment based on the difference includes: Determine whether the difference is greater than or equal to a preset difference threshold; If so, then the temperature control priority of the second storage room is determined to be higher than that of the first storage room; If not, then the temperature control priority of the first storage room is determined to be higher than that of the second storage room.

6. The control method according to claim 1, wherein The second cooling branch is also provided with a throttling component connected in series with the second evaporator, and the throttling component includes a first throttling device and a second throttling device arranged in parallel with each other, wherein the first throttling device is connected to the first valve port and the second throttling device is connected to the second valve port; the third cooling branch is provided with a third throttling device.

7. A refrigeration and freezing apparatus, comprising a first storage compartment, a second storage compartment, and a refrigeration system, wherein the refrigeration system includes a compressor, a gas-liquid separator, a first cooling branch, and a second cooling branch; the first cooling branch is connected between the gas phase outlet of the gas-liquid separator and the suction port of the compressor, and has a first evaporator therein for cooling the first storage compartment; the second cooling branch is connected between the liquid phase outlet of the gas-liquid separator and the suction port of the compressor, and has a second evaporator therein for cooling the second storage compartment; and The refrigeration and freezing apparatus is controlled using the control method for refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein The refrigeration system also includes: The regenerative assembly includes a heat-releasing section and a heat-absorbing section. The heat-releasing section is connected between the gas phase outlet of the gas-liquid separator and the inlet of the first evaporator, and the heat-absorbing section is connected between the outlet of the first evaporator and the suction port of the compressor. The heat-absorbing section is thermally connected to the heat-releasing section. The heat-absorbing section is also thermally connected to the first and second throttling devices of the second cooling branch and the third throttling device in the third cooling branch of the refrigeration system. The first cooling branch is also equipped with: A fourth throttling device is connected between the heat dissipation section and the inlet of the first evaporator; The preheating pipe section is connected between the outlet of the first evaporator and the heat absorption section, and is thermally connected to the fourth throttling device.

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