A refrigerated compartment, a refrigerator, and a control method for ripening and preservation

Abstract

The present invention discloses a refrigerated compartment, a refrigerator, and a control method for ripening and preservation. The refrigerated compartment includes a preservation compartment and a ripening compartment; a carbon dioxide separation device disposed in the preservation compartment, a vacuum pump, and a pipeline that connect the carbon dioxide separation device to the ripening compartment. The present invention separates and collects the carbon dioxide gas in the preservation compartment and inputs it into the ripening compartment. The preservation compartment is in an environment of high oxygen and high nitrogen gases, which can extend the preservation of fruits. At the same time, after the carbon dioxide gas is input into the ripening compartment, it is in an environment of high carbon dioxide gas, which is beneficial to ripening fruits. The present invention can simultaneously meet the needs of fruit and vegetable preservation and fruit and vegetable ripening, achieving two goals with one action. When the high temperature at the exhaust port of the refrigerator compressor is used to heat and raise the temperature of the carbon dioxide gas and then input it into the ripening compartment, the ripening progress of fruits can be accelerated to meet the needs of people to consume as soon as possible.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of refrigeration, and in particular to a refrigerated compartment having functions of ripening and preserving fruits separately, a refrigerator having the refrigerated compartment, and a control method for ripening and preservation. Background Art

[0002] Both preservation and ripening are essential links in the storage of fruits after picking. During the fruit preservation process, an environment of high oxygen and high nitrogen gases can extend the storage and preservation period of post-harvest fruits. Carbon dioxide gas, as a special ripening gas, can ripen unripe fruits, and is energy-saving and environmentally friendly. An environment of high carbon dioxide gas can provide anaerobic respiration storage conditions for fruits, causing tannins in the fruits to convert from soluble to insoluble, thereby completing the ripening process. With the accelerating pace of life and work, people often buy a relatively large amount of fruits at one time for future installment consumption. This will face the problems of having to eat them as soon as possible and not being able to finish eating them in a short period. Usually, people will use a household refrigerator to preserve fruits that cannot be eaten as soon as possible. However, for fruits that need to be eaten as soon as possible, it is impossible to use the refrigerator to ripen them at the same time, which brings certain inconvenience to people's lives.

[0003] Therefore, how to use the existing refrigerator to preserve a part of fruits and ripen another part of fruits, so as to meet people's desire to be able to preserve or ripen at the same time without adding technical equipment and using the existing refrigerator, is a problem that the industry considers to solve. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In order to solve the technical problem that the existing refrigerator cannot preserve a part of fruits and ripen another part of fruits at the same time, the present invention provides a refrigerated compartment having functions of ripening and preserving fruits, a refrigerator having the refrigerated compartment, and a control method for ripening and preservation. The present invention can also use the heat dissipated during the refrigeration of the refrigerator compressor to accelerate the ripening speed of fruits.

[0005] A refrigerated compartment provided by the present invention includes an independent preservation compartment and an independent ripening compartment; a carbon dioxide separation device provided in the preservation compartment, a vacuum pump and a pipeline connecting the carbon dioxide separation device and the ripening compartment.

[0006] Preferably, the carbon dioxide separation device includes an open container, and a carbon dioxide separation membrane is sealed at the opening of the container, and the carbon dioxide separation membrane faces the inner cavity of the preservation compartment; the vacuum pump is connected to the container.

[0007] Preferably, the container is a box body provided at the top of the inner cavity of the preservation compartment, and the carbon dioxide separation membrane faces downward.

[0008] Preferably, a fan for blowing air on the carbon dioxide separation membrane is provided on the side wall of the fresh-keeping compartment.

[0009] Preferably, a carbon dioxide detection probe, a timer and a astringency sensor are provided in the ripening compartment.

[0010] Preferably, an intake valve and an exhaust valve are provided on the pipeline between the ripening compartment and the vacuum pump.

[0011] The present invention further provides a refrigerator, including a compressor and the refrigerating compartment described above. The pipeline exchanges heat and is heated by using the exhaust port of the compressor, and a temperature sensor is provided on the pipeline between the compressor and the intake valve.

[0012] The present invention also provides a control method for fruit and vegetable ripening and fresh-keeping, including the following steps:

[0013] Put fruits and vegetables into the fresh-keeping compartment and the ripening compartment respectively, and click the button; open the intake valve and close the exhaust valve; the vacuum pump sucks the carbon dioxide gas in the fresh-keeping compartment and inputs it into the ripening compartment; the fan automatically blows air on the carbon dioxide separation membrane intermittently;

[0014] When the carbon dioxide detection probe measures that the concentration of carbon dioxide gas in the ripening compartment reaches the set range, close the intake valve and the vacuum pump, and open the exhaust valve;

[0015] When the astringency sensor emits a beeping sound, the ripening is completed.

[0016] Preferably, click the button, first close the intake valve and the exhaust valve; and the temperature sensor detects the temperature of the carbon dioxide gas in the pipeline. When the set temperature value is reached, then open the intake valve and keep the exhaust valve closed.

[0017] Preferably, when the carbon dioxide detection probe measures that the concentration of carbon dioxide gas in the ripening compartment reaches the set range, the timer records the time when the ripening starts at this moment; when the ripening is completed, the timer records the time when the ripening ends at this moment.

[0018] Preferably, the fan blows air for 5-10 minutes every 2-3 hours to realize automatic intermittent blowing of air on the carbon dioxide separation membrane.

[0019] The present invention is provided with two independent refrigerated compartments. Under the action of a vacuum pump, a carbon dioxide separation membrane is used to separate and collect carbon dioxide gas in one compartment, so that there is no carbon dioxide gas in this compartment and it is in an environment of high oxygen and high nitrogen. This compartment can be used to extend the storage and preservation period of fruits. At the same time, the collected carbon dioxide gas is continuously input into another compartment through the vacuum pump, so that this compartment is in an environment of high carbon dioxide gas. This compartment can be used to ripen fruits. The present invention can simultaneously meet the requirements of using high oxygen and high nitrogen for fruit preservation and using high carbon dioxide gas to ripen fruits and vegetables, killing two birds with one stone. Since the environmental temperature plays an important role in the process of fruit ripening, the present invention also heats the carbon dioxide gas with the high temperature at the exhaust port of the refrigerator compressor. After heating to a certain temperature, it is then input into the ripening compartment, which greatly speeds up the progress of fruit ripening to meet the needs of people to eat as soon as possible. It also utilizes waste heat, saving energy and being environmentally friendly. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] Figure 1 is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of an embodiment of a refrigerator with the functions of both fruit preservation and fruit ripening according to the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2 is Figure 1 a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the ripening compartment in

[0022] Figure 3 is a process control schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of the method for controlling fruit preservation and fruit ripening of the refrigerator according to the present invention.

[0023] Wherein: 1 is a fresh-keeping compartment, 2 is a ripening compartment, 3 is a carbon dioxide separation device, 4 is a vacuum pump, 5 is a pipeline, 6 is a carbon dioxide separation membrane, 7 is a fan, 8 is an intake valve, 9 is a carbon dioxide detection probe, 10 is a timer, 11 is a astringency sensor, 12 is a compressor, 13 is a temperature sensor, 14 is an exhaust valve. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0024] The present invention will be further described below in conjunction with the embodiments and the drawings, but it is not intended to limit the present invention.

[0025] Please refer to Figure 1 、 Figure 2The present invention provides a basic embodiment of a refrigerated compartment with ripening and preservation functions, which includes an independent preservation compartment 1 for storing fruits and vegetables and an independent ripening compartment 2 for fruits and vegetables. A carbon dioxide separation device 3 is provided in the preservation compartment 1, and a vacuum pump 4 connects the carbon dioxide separation device 3 with the ripening compartment 2 through a pipeline 5. In this embodiment, the carbon dioxide separation device 3 includes an open container, the opening of the container is sealed by a carbon dioxide separation membrane 6, the carbon dioxide separation membrane 6 faces the inner cavity of the preservation compartment 1, and the vacuum pump 4 is connected to the container. Preferably, the container of the carbon dioxide separation device 3 is a flat box body, which is arranged at the top of the inner cavity of the preservation compartment 1, and the carbon dioxide separation membrane 6 faces downward. The carbon dioxide separation device 3 is arranged in this way to maximize the space of the preservation compartment 1, so as to facilitate the storage of more fruits. The carbon dioxide separation membrane 6 faces downwardly towards the cavity of the preservation compartment 1, which is convenient for maximizing the suction of air and improving the separation efficiency of carbon dioxide gas. The present invention is provided with two independent refrigeration compartments, and the carbon dioxide gas in the fresh-keeping compartment 1 can be collected in the container of the carbon dioxide separation device 3 by using the carbon dioxide separation membrane 6 under the action of the vacuum pump 4, so that the carbon dioxide gas in this compartment is discharged as much as possible and is in an environment of high oxygen and high nitrogen gas, and the compartment can be used to extend the storage and fresh-keeping period of the fruit. At the same time, the carbon dioxide gas collected in the container of the carbon dioxide separation device 3 is continuously input into the ripening compartment 2 through the vacuum pump 4, so that the compartment is in an environment of high carbon dioxide gas, and the compartment can be used to ripen the fruit. In this way, the present invention can meet the needs of using high oxygen and high nitrogen gas to preserve the fruit, and using high carbon dioxide gas to ripen the fruits and vegetables, killing two birds with one stone.

[0026] In order to efficiently separate carbon dioxide gas and accurately grasp the input amount of carbon dioxide gas and the ripening degree of fruit, please combine Figure 1 , Figure 2, a small fan 7 is provided on the side wall of the fresh-keeping compartment 1. An intake valve 8 and an exhaust valve 14 are provided on the pipeline 5 between the ripening compartment 2 and the vacuum pump 4. A carbon dioxide detection probe 9, a timer 10 and a astringency sensor 11 are arranged in the ripening compartment 2. The carbon dioxide separation membrane 6 used in the present invention can separate different gases by utilizing the difference in the permeation rates of various gases in the air through different membrane materials. Since the permeation rate of CO2 gas is relatively fast, it is easy to pass through the carbon dioxide separation membrane 6 and be enriched on the permeation side of the carbon dioxide separation membrane 6, while O2 and N2 with relatively slow permeation rates cannot pass through the carbon dioxide separation membrane 6. Therefore, the CO2 gas is collected in the box body of the carbon dioxide separation device 3 after passing through the carbon dioxide separation membrane 6. Since CO2 will accumulate on the surface of the permeation side of the carbon dioxide separation membrane 6 during separation, it is necessary to set up a small fan 7 to intermittently blow away the accumulated CO2 gas to prevent the carbon dioxide gas from accumulating on the membrane and forming a high-concentration carbon dioxide gas on the membrane surface, which is not conducive to the separation of carbon dioxide. Since the CO2 gas cannot flow smoothly through the pipeline 5 into the ripening compartment 2 by itself, the suction force of the vacuum pump 4 is used to make the carbon dioxide gas collection box in a vacuum state to facilitate the separation and collection of the carbon dioxide separation membrane 6, and then the CO2 gas is pumped into the ripening compartment 2 to complete the separation and transportation of the CO2 gas. The carbon dioxide detection probe 9 is used to detect whether the concentration of carbon dioxide gas in the ripening compartment 2 reaches the required concentration. When the concentration of carbon dioxide gas in the ripening compartment 2 reaches the set requirement, the gas leading to the ripening compartment 2 is automatically cut off through the intake valve 8 provided on the pipeline 5 and the vacuum pump 4 is turned off, and at the same time the exhaust valve 14 leading to the atmosphere is opened, so that the remaining CO2 gas in the pipeline 5 between the intake valve 8 and the vacuum pump 4 can be discharged. The timer 10 automatically records and displays the time when this ripening starts at this moment. If the concentration of carbon dioxide gas in the ripening compartment 2 is not enough, the exhaust valve 14 is closed, and the vacuum pump 4 and the intake valve 8 remain open, and CO2 gas is continuously and automatically transported into the ripening compartment 2. The astringency sensor 11 is used to determine whether the fruits and vegetables are ripe. When the astringency sensor 11 emits a beeping sound, the timer 10 automatically records and displays the time when the ripening is completed at this moment. The time duration between the start of ripening and the end of ripening recorded by the timer 10 is approximately the time used for ripening this type of fruit. For different types of fruits and vegetables, the timer 10 will record different ripening durations to provide the user with a basic time concept for ripening fruits.

[0027] The present invention provides a refrigerator including a refrigerating compartment, such as Figure 1 , Figure 2As shown in the figure. The refrigerator includes an independent fresh-keeping compartment 1 for storing fruits and vegetables in the middle of the box body and an independent ripening compartment 2 for fruits and vegetables. The compressor 12 of the refrigerator is arranged at the lower part of the box body. A carbon dioxide separation device 3 is arranged in the fresh-keeping compartment 1. A vacuum pump 4 is also arranged beside the compressor 12. The vacuum pump 4 connects the carbon dioxide separation device 3 with the ripening compartment 2 through a pipeline 5. The container of the carbon dioxide separation device 3 is a flat box body, and one side of its opening is sealed by a carbon dioxide separation membrane 6. The box body is arranged at the top of the inner cavity of the fresh-keeping compartment 1, with the carbon dioxide separation membrane 6 facing downwards, and the vacuum pump 4 is connected to the box body. Such a setting of the carbon dioxide separation device 3 can leave the space of the fresh-keeping compartment 1 to the maximum extent, which is beneficial for storing more fruits. The carbon dioxide separation membrane 6 faces downwards towards the cavity of the fresh-keeping compartment 1, which is convenient for sucking air to the maximum extent and improving the separation efficiency of carbon dioxide gas. In order to efficiently separate carbon dioxide gas and accurately control the input amount of carbon dioxide gas and the ripening degree of fruits, a small fan 7 is arranged on the side wall of the fresh-keeping compartment 1, and an intake valve 8 and an exhaust valve 14 are arranged on the pipeline 5 between the ripening compartment 2 and the vacuum pump 4. A carbon dioxide detection probe 9, a timer 10 and a astringency sensor 11 are arranged in the ripening compartment 2. The carbon dioxide detection probe 9 is used to detect whether the concentration of carbon dioxide gas in the ripening compartment 2 reaches the required concentration. When the concentration of carbon dioxide gas in the ripening compartment 2 reaches the set requirement, the intake valve 8 arranged on the pipeline 5 automatically cuts off the gas supply to the ripening compartment 2 and closes the vacuum pump 4, and at the same time opens the exhaust valve 14 leading to the atmosphere to discharge the remaining CO2 gas in the pipeline 5. And the timer 10 automatically records and displays the start time of this ripening. If the concentration of carbon dioxide gas in the ripening compartment 2 is insufficient, the vacuum pump 4 and the intake valve 8 keep automatically supplying CO2 gas to the ripening compartment 2 and keep the exhaust valve 14 closed. The astringency sensor 11 is used to determine whether the fruits and vegetables are ripe. When the astringency sensor 11 emits a beeping sound, the timer 10 automatically records and displays the completion time of ripening. The time duration between the start time and the end time of ripening recorded by the timer 10 is approximately the time used for ripening this type of fruit. Different types of fruits and vegetables will have different ripening durations recorded by the timer 10, providing the user with a basic concept of the ripening time of fruits and vegetables.

[0028] As Figure 1As shown in the figure, in the refrigerator provided by the present invention, the pipeline 5 for transporting CO2 gas from the fresh-keeping compartment 1 to the ripening compartment 2 exchanges heat with and is heated by the heat dissipated from the high-temperature exhaust port of the compressor 12 at the lower part of the refrigerator. That is, the pipeline 5 between the intake valve 8 and the exhaust valve 14 can exchange heat with and be heated by the heat dissipated from the high-temperature exhaust port of the compressor 12. The heat exchange method can be carried out by winding the pipeline 5 around the outside of the high-temperature exhaust pipeline of the compressor 12 for heat exchange; an inner and outer sleeve structure can also be adopted. For example, the high-temperature gas discharged from the compressor 12 passes through the inner pipe and the CO2 gas passes through the outer pipe, so as to heat and warm the CO2 gas. Of course, other structural methods can also be adopted to heat and raise the temperature of the CO2 gas. A temperature sensor 13 is provided on the pipeline 5 between the intake valve 8 and the compressor 12 to identify whether the temperature of the carbon dioxide gas reaches the specified requirements. Since the ambient temperature plays an important role in the process of fruit ripening, the present invention uses the high temperature at the exhaust port of the refrigerator compressor 12 to heat and raise the temperature of the carbon dioxide gas, and then inputs it into the ripening compartment 2 after heating to the set temperature, which will greatly accelerate the speed of fruit ripening to meet the needs of people to eat as soon as possible. At the same time, the waste heat of the compressor is effectively utilized, saving energy and protecting the environment.

[0029] The present invention also provides a control method for ripening and preservation of a refrigerator with a refrigerating compartment having functions of fruit and vegetable ripening and preservation. A specific preferred embodiment is as follows Figure 3 shown. The steps of this control method are as follows (please refer to Figure 1 、 Figure 2 ):

[0030] First, put fruits into the fresh-keeping compartment 1 and the ripening compartment 2 respectively, and click the start button of the ripening and preservation system. The components in the ripening and preservation system are all automatically controlled by the refrigerator controller. That is, the intake valve 8 is automatically opened and the exhaust valve 14 is closed. The vacuum pump 4 starts to suck the carbon dioxide gas in the fresh-keeping compartment 1 and inputs it into the ripening compartment 2 through the pipeline 5 for ripening the fruits therein. At the same time, the carbon dioxide gas is separated and discharged from the fresh-keeping compartment 1, and the remaining high-oxygen and high-nitrogen gases are beneficial to the preservation of fruits. And the fan 7 will automatically blow air intermittently to the carbon dioxide membrane 6 of the carbon dioxide separation device 3, that is, the fan 7 blows air for 5 to 10 minutes every 2 to 3 hours to achieve automatic intermittent air blowing. In this preferred embodiment, in order to accelerate the progress of fruit ripening, after clicking the system button, the intake valve 8 and the exhaust valve 14 can be preferentially selected to be automatically closed. And the temperature sensor 13 is started to detect the temperature of the carbon dioxide gas in the pipeline 5. When the set temperature value T is reached, the intake valve 8 is automatically opened so that the heated carbon dioxide gas enters the ripening compartment 2 to accelerate the ripening process. At this moment, the exhaust valve 14 remains closed.

[0031] When the carbon dioxide detection probe 9 measures that the concentration of carbon dioxide gas in the ripening chamber 2 reaches between the set minimum concentration A and the maximum concentration B of carbon dioxide, that is, when the concentration is within the range of A to B, the intake valve 8 and the vacuum pump 4 are automatically closed. At the same time, the exhaust valve 14 is opened to evacuate the remaining carbon dioxide gas in the pipeline 5. The timer 10 records the time T1 when the ripening starts at this moment. If the carbon dioxide detection probe 9 measures that the concentration of carbon dioxide gas in the ripening chamber 2 is not within the set range of A to B, the exhaust valve 14 is closed, and the vacuum pump 4 and the intake valve 8 remain open to continue delivering CO2 gas into the ripening chamber 2.

[0032] When the astringency sensor 11 emits a beeping sound, it reminds the user that the ripening of the fruit is completed. The timer 10 records the time T2 when the ripening ends at this moment. Then the duration between the start time T1 of the ripening and the end time T2 of the ripening is approximately the time required for the ripening of this type of fruit to be completed.

[0033] The present invention is provided with two independent chambers, and the carbon dioxide gas in the fresh-keeping chamber 1 can be separated, collected and input into the ripening chamber 2. At this time, the fresh-keeping chamber 1 is in an environment of high oxygen and high nitrogen gases due to the separation and discharge of carbon dioxide gas, so that this chamber can be used to extend the storage and freshness preservation period of fruits. At the same time, after the carbon dioxide gas is continuously input into the ripening chamber 2, this chamber is in an environment of high carbon dioxide gas, which is beneficial to the ripening of fruits in this chamber. In this way, the present invention can simultaneously meet the requirements of fruit and vegetable freshness preservation and fruit and vegetable ripening, achieving two goals with one action. More importantly, the present invention heats the carbon dioxide gas with the high temperature at the exhaust port of the refrigerator compressor, and after heating to the set temperature, it is input into the ripening chamber 2, so as to greatly accelerate the ripening progress of fruits and meet the needs of people to eat as soon as possible. The waste heat is utilized, saving energy and protecting the environment.

[0034] The above are only the embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent replacements, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present invention shall be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A refrigerated compartment, characterized in that, It includes an independent fresh-keeping compartment and an independent ripening compartment; a carbon dioxide separation device disposed in the fresh-keeping compartment, a vacuum pump and a pipeline that connect the carbon dioxide separation device to the ripening compartment; Among them, the carbon dioxide separation device includes an open container, and a carbon dioxide separation membrane is sealed at the opening of the container, and the carbon dioxide separation membrane faces the inner cavity of the fresh-keeping compartment; the vacuum pump is connected to the container.

2. The cold storage compartment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The container is a box body, which is disposed at the top of the inner cavity of the fresh-keeping compartment, and the carbon dioxide separation membrane faces downward.

3. The cold storage compartment according to claim 1, characterized in that, A fan for blowing air on the carbon dioxide separation membrane is provided on the side wall of the fresh-keeping compartment.

4. The cold storage compartment according to claim 1, wherein, A carbon dioxide detection probe, a timer and a astringency sensor are provided in the ripening compartment.

5. The cold storage compartment according to claim 1, characterized in that, An intake valve and an exhaust valve are provided on the pipeline between the ripening compartment and the vacuum pump.

6. A refrigerator, comprising a compressor, characterized in that, It further includes a refrigerating compartment according to any one of claims 1 to 5, and the pipeline exchanges heat and warms up by using the heat of the exhaust port of the compressor, and a temperature sensor is provided on the pipeline between the compressor and the intake valve.

7. A control method for ripening and fresh-keeping of a refrigerator according to claim 6, comprising the following steps: Put fruits and vegetables into the fresh-keeping compartment and the ripening compartment respectively, and click the button; open the intake valve and close the exhaust valve; the vacuum pump sucks the carbon dioxide gas in the fresh-keeping compartment and inputs it into the ripening compartment; the fan automatically blows air on the carbon dioxide separation membrane intermittently; When the carbon dioxide detection probe measures that the concentration of the carbon dioxide gas in the ripening compartment reaches the set range, close the intake valve and the vacuum pump, and open the exhaust valve; When the astringency sensor emits a beeping sound, the ripening is completed.

8. The control method according to claim 7, wherein Click the button, first close the intake valve and the exhaust valve; and the temperature sensor detects the temperature of the carbon dioxide gas in the pipeline, and when the set temperature value is reached, then open the intake valve and keep the exhaust valve closed.

9. The control method according to claim 7, wherein When the carbon dioxide detection probe measures that the concentration of the carbon dioxide gas in the ripening compartment reaches the set range, the timer records the time when the ripening starts at this moment; when the ripening is completed, the timer records the time when the ripening ends at this moment.

10. The control method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The fan blows air for 5 to 10 minutes every 2 to 3 hours to realize automatic intermittent blowing of air on the carbon dioxide separation membrane.

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