Ice making assembly and ice making control method and apparatus and refrigeration appliance

Abstract

The present application relates to the field of electrical appliances, and provides an ice making assembly, an ice making control method and device, and a refrigeration equipment. The ice making assembly comprises: an ice making component, which is formed with an ice making space; an ice making circuit, which comprises a first heat exchange pipe section, the first heat exchange pipe section being adapted to exchange heat with the ice making space; the ice making circuit further comprises a water pump and a liquid storage bin which are in communication with each other, the liquid storage bin and the first heat exchange pipe section being formed with a liquid inlet and an air inlet, the liquid inlet and the air inlet being respectively in selectable fluid communication with the first heat exchange pipe section. According to the present application, the normal heating process can be ensured, and the phenomenon that the ice making component is simultaneously heated and cooled can be avoided, thereby reducing the system energy consumption in the ice removal and defrosting processes, and the ice removal effect and the defrosting effect are also better; in addition, the water pump does not need to be a bidirectional pump, and the ice making assembly does not need to control the forward and reverse rotation of the water pump, so that the control steps are simple and easy to operate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of electrical technology, and in particular to ice-making components, ice-making control methods and devices, and refrigeration equipment. Background Technology

[0002] Since the ice-making components need to be heated in both the de-icing and defrosting states, if the refrigerant used to cool the ice-making components is not removed, the refrigerant will affect the normal heating process during de-icing and defrosting. This will result in the ice-making components being heated and cooled simultaneously, leading to higher system energy consumption during de-icing and defrosting, and poorer de-icing and defrosting effects.

[0003] A related technology proposes a refrigeration device in which, when the heating wire is activated, the pump in the cold storage pipeline reverses direction, thereby emptying the refrigerant in the cold storage tank under the ice grid. However, this solution requires a bidirectional pump, and the forward and reverse rotation of the pump must be controlled, making the control process complex and cumbersome. Furthermore, since the liquid receiver must meet the condition that its internal liquid and air can completely fill the ice-making circuit, the volume of the liquid receiver is large, resulting in a large overall volume of the refrigeration device, a complex structure, high cost, and inconvenient assembly. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention aims to at least solve one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, this invention proposes an ice-making component that ensures the normal operation of the heating process, avoids the phenomenon of the ice-making component being heated and cooled simultaneously, thereby reducing system energy consumption during the de-icing and defrosting processes, and improving the de-icing and defrosting effects.

[0005] The present invention also proposes a method for controlling an ice-making component.

[0006] The present invention also proposes a control device for an ice-making component.

[0007] The present invention also proposes a refrigeration device.

[0008] The present invention also proposes an electronic device, a storage medium, and a program product.

[0009] An ice-making assembly according to a first aspect of the present invention includes:

[0010] Ice-making components form an ice-making space;

[0011] An ice-making circuit includes a first heat exchange tube section, which is adapted to exchange heat with the ice-making space.

[0012] The ice-making circuit also includes a water pump and a liquid storage tank that are interconnected. A liquid inlet and an air inlet are formed between the liquid storage tank and the first heat exchange tube section. The liquid inlet and the air inlet are respectively connected to the first heat exchange tube section in a selectable fluid communication.

[0013] According to the refrigeration assembly of the invention embodiment, when the ice-making component enters the defrosting or de-icing state, the refrigerant inside the first heat exchange tube section can be completely extracted, thereby ensuring the normal operation of the heating process and avoiding the phenomenon that the ice-making component is simultaneously heated and cooled, thus reducing the system energy consumption during the defrosting and de-icing process, and improving the defrosting and de-icing effects; in addition, the water pump does not need to be a bidirectional pump, and the refrigeration assembly does not need to control the forward and reverse rotation of the water pump, thus simplifying the control steps and making it easy to operate.

[0014] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the liquid storage tank has a liquid outlet and a gas outlet, the liquid outlet is formed at the lower end of the liquid storage tank, the gas outlet is formed at the upper end of the liquid storage tank, and the liquid inlet is connected to the liquid outlet;

[0015] Both the air outlet and the air inlet are in pressure equilibrium with the outside environment, or the air outlet and the air inlet are in pressure equilibrium with each other.

[0016] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the ice-making assembly further includes:

[0017] The controller is adapted to control the liquid inlet to connect with the first heat exchange tube section and control the air inlet to disconnect from the first heat exchange tube section according to the ice-making component entering the freezing state; and the controller is also adapted to control the liquid inlet to disconnect from the first heat exchange tube section and control the air inlet to connect with the first heat exchange tube section according to the ice-making component entering the de-icing state or the defrosting state.

[0018] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the ice-making circuit further includes:

[0019] The three-way valve has a valve outlet, a first valve inlet, and a second valve inlet. The valve outlet is connected to the first heat exchange tube section, the first valve inlet forms the air inlet, and the second valve inlet forms the liquid inlet.

[0020] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the ice-making circuit further includes:

[0021] A first check valve and a second check valve, wherein the outlet of the first check valve is connected to the first heat exchange tube section, the inlet of the first check valve forms the air inlet, the outlet of the second check valve is connected to the first heat exchange tube section, and the inlet of the second check valve forms the liquid inlet.

[0022] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a liquid level sensor is provided inside the liquid storage tank; or, a pressure sensor or a weight sensor is provided at the bottom of the liquid storage tank; or, a flow sensor is provided at the inlet of the liquid storage tank.

[0023] According to one embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the sidewall and bottom wall of the ice-making component includes the first heat exchange tube section.

[0024] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the outlet of the first heat exchange tube section is located at the highest point of the first heat exchange tube section, the inlet of the first heat exchange tube section is located at the lowest point of the first heat exchange tube section, and the top wall of the first heat exchange tube section gradually slopes upward from its inlet toward its outlet.

[0025] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the ice-making assembly further includes:

[0026] Ice storage components form an ice storage space;

[0027] Heating components are adapted to heat and de-ice the refrigeration space;

[0028] The ice-making circuit also includes a refrigeration component adapted to cool the refrigerant within the ice-making circuit.

[0029] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the ice-making circuit further includes a first pipeline, a second pipeline and a third pipeline, wherein the first pipeline includes a first heat exchange tube section, the second pipeline includes a second heat exchange tube section and is adapted to cool the ice storage space;

[0030] The first pipeline and the second pipeline are connected in parallel and both are connected to the third pipeline, and the first pipeline and the third pipeline may be in selective fluid communication.

[0031] An ice-making control method based on the ice-making assembly described in the first aspect of the present invention, according to a second aspect of the present invention, includes:

[0032] Once the ice-making component is determined to be in a freezing state, the liquid inlet is connected to the first heat exchange tube section, and the air inlet is disconnected from the first heat exchange tube section.

[0033] Once the ice-making component is determined to be in a defrosting or de-icing state, the liquid inlet is disconnected from the first heat exchange tube section, and the air inlet is connected to the first heat exchange tube section.

[0034] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the ice-making control method of the ice-making assembly further includes:

[0035] Determine whether the ice-making component enters the de-icing or defrosting state, and obtain the cold storage dose in the first heat exchange tube section;

[0036] If the cold storage dose in the first heat exchange tube section is determined to be lower than the set cold storage dose, the heating component is controlled to heat the ice-making space to achieve de-icing.

[0037] According to an embodiment of the present invention, in the step of obtaining the cold storage dose in the first heat exchange tube section:

[0038] Based on the detection results of the level sensor, pressure sensor, weight sensor or flow sensor, the cold storage dose in the first heat exchange tube section is obtained.

[0039] An ice-making control device based on the ice-making assembly described in the first aspect of the present invention, according to a third aspect embodiment of the present invention, includes:

[0040] The first control module is used to determine that the ice-making component enters the freezing state, control the liquid inlet to connect with the first heat exchange tube section, and control the air inlet to disconnect from the first heat exchange tube section.

[0041] The second control module is used to determine whether the ice-making component enters the de-icing state or the defrosting state, control the liquid inlet to disconnect from the first heat exchange tube section, and control the air inlet to connect with the first heat exchange tube section.

[0042] A refrigeration apparatus according to a fourth aspect of the present invention includes:

[0043] Ice-making assembly as described in the first aspect of the present invention.

[0044] An electronic device according to a fifth aspect of the present invention includes a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the processor executes the program to implement the steps of the ice-making control method of the ice-making assembly as described in the second aspect of the present invention.

[0045] According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium is provided thereon storing a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the ice-making control method of the ice-making assembly as described in the second aspect of the present invention.

[0046] A computer program product according to a seventh aspect of the present invention includes a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the ice-making control method for an ice-making assembly as described in the second aspect of the present invention.

[0047] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0048] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0049] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the ice-making assembly with liquid inlet and air inlet provided in the embodiment of the present invention when it forms an air pressure balance with the outside.

[0050] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an ice-making assembly with a liquid inlet and an air inlet, provided in an embodiment of the present invention, when a pressure balance is formed inside it;

[0051] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an ice-making assembly provided in an embodiment of the present invention, which includes a first pipeline, a second pipeline, and a third pipeline;

[0052] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an ice-making assembly equipped with a liquid level sensor provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0053] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of the ice-making component provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0054] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the steps of the leakage detection method for ice-making components provided in this embodiment of the invention;

[0055] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the leakage detection component of the ice-making assembly provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0056] Figure 8 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the refrigerator provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0057] Figure 9 This is one of the structural schematic diagrams of the refrigerator provided in the embodiments of the present invention;

[0058] Figure 10 This is a second schematic diagram of the structure of the refrigerator provided in this embodiment of the invention;

[0059] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the steps of the ice-making control method of the ice-making component provided in Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0060] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the steps of the ice-making control method of the ice-making component provided in Embodiment 2 of the present invention;

[0061] Figure 13This is a schematic diagram of the steps of the ice-making control method of the ice-making component provided in Embodiment 3 of the present invention;

[0062] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the ice-making control device of the ice-making assembly provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0063] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the electronic device provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0064] Figure label:

[0065] 1. Refrigerator; 11. Ice-making room;

[0066] 2. Ice-making assembly; 3. Ice-making component; 31. Ice-making space; 4. Ice storage component;

[0067] 5. Ice-making circuit; 501. First heat exchange tube section; 5011. Inlet of the first heat exchange tube section; 5012. Outlet of the first heat exchange tube section; 502. Second heat exchange tube section; 503. Air inlet; 504. Liquid inlet; 505. Air outlet; 506. Liquid outlet; 507. First three-way valve; 508. Second three-way valve; 509. Third three-way valve; 51. Water pump; 52. Liquid storage tank; 53. Heat exchanger; 54. First pipeline; 55. Second pipeline; 56. Third pipeline; 57. Liquid level sensor;

[0068] 6. Refrigeration circuit; 61. Compressor; 62. Condenser; 63. Refrigeration evaporator; 64. Ice-making evaporator; 65. Decondensation pipe; 66. Filter; 67. Electric valve; 68. Return gas pipe; 7. Controller; 810. Processor; 820. Communication interface; 830. Memory; 840. Communication bus; 910. First execution module; 920. Second execution module; 930. First control module; 940. Second control module. Detailed Implementation

[0069] The embodiments of the present invention will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. The following examples are for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention.

[0070] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the components or elements referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the embodiments of the present invention. In addition, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0071] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connected" and "linked" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of the present invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0072] In embodiments of the present invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0073] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., refer to specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with that embodiment or example, which are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. Moreover, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of different embodiments or examples.

[0074] The ice-making component according to an embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the ice-making component of the present invention can be applied to ice-making scenarios inside refrigerators, as well as to scenarios requiring ice making such as fresh-keeping cabinets, freezers, and ice makers. The present invention does not impose any special limitations here, and the ice-making component can be applied to various application scenarios requiring ice making.

[0075] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the refrigeration assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an ice-making component 3 and an ice-making circuit 5. The ice-making circuit 5 includes a water pump 51 and a refrigeration component (not shown in the figure).

[0076] The water pump 51 and the refrigeration unit are connected in sequence through a conveying channel (not shown in the figure). The water pump 51 is used to provide power for the transport of the cold storage agent in the conveying channel, and the refrigeration unit is used to cool the cold storage agent in the conveying channel so that the cold storage agent reaches the temperature required for ice making.

[0077] The ice-making component 3 has an ice-making space 31 for holding the raw materials (such as water) needed for ice making. The refrigerant in the ice-making circuit 5 is adapted to exchange heat with the raw materials in the ice-making space 31, thereby causing the liquid in the ice-making space 31 to condense into ice.

[0078] According to an embodiment of the present invention, in order to achieve heat exchange between the refrigerant in the ice-making circuit 5 and the raw materials in the ice-making space 31, the conveying channel can be coiled on the ice-making component 3, or the conveying channel can pass through and through the ice-making component 3, or the ice-making component 3 can form a first liquid storage space, and the conveying channel can communicate with the first liquid storage space. Of course, the present invention does not impose any special restrictions on the arrangement structure of the conveying channel relative to the ice-making component 3, and the conveying channel can also achieve heat exchange with the ice-making component 3 through other structures.

[0079] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the ice-making circuit 5 includes a first heat exchange tube section 501, which is adapted to exchange heat with the ice-making space 31. A first liquid storage space is formed inside the first heat exchange tube section 501.

[0080] In this embodiment, the channel formed in the first heat exchange tube section 501 is part of the conveying channel. The position of the first heat exchange tube section 501 corresponds to the position of the ice-making space 31, so that the refrigerant inside the first heat exchange tube section 501 can exchange heat with the raw materials in the ice-making space 31, thereby causing the water in the ice-making space 31 to condense to obtain ice.

[0081] In this way, the conveying channel delivers the cold storage agent required for ice making to the first liquid storage space. After the cold storage agent is transported to the first liquid storage space, the cold storage agent inside the first liquid storage space and the raw material in the ice making space 31 exchange heat due to the temperature difference. As a result, the raw material in the ice making space 31 absorbs the cold energy of the cold storage agent, and then the raw material liquid condenses into ice.

[0082] In one embodiment of the present invention, the first heat exchange tube section 501 is a section of pipe independent of the ice-making component 3. The first heat exchange tube section 501 is coiled on the outside of the ice-making component 3, or the first heat exchange tube section 501 passes through the ice-making component 3.

[0083] like Figure 5 As shown, in another embodiment of the present invention, the first heat exchange tube segment 501 is formed on the ice-making component 3, that is, the first heat exchange tube segment 501 is integrally formed on the ice-making component 3.

[0084] Of course, the above embodiments are only two of the many embodiments of the present invention and do not constitute a limitation on the first heat exchange tube section 501. The first heat exchange tube section 501 can also adopt other structures, as long as the first heat exchange tube section 501 can exchange heat with the ice-making space 31.

[0085] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the basic working principle of the above-mentioned refrigeration equipment is as follows: The user manually or automatically adds water required for ice making into the ice making space 31 of the ice making component 3. The water pump 51 is turned on to pump the refrigerant through the conveying channel to the first liquid storage space. The refrigerant in the first liquid storage space exchanges heat with the water in the ice making space 31 to provide the cooling capacity required for ice making. The refrigerant coming out of the first liquid storage space has its temperature increased due to the heat exchange. At this time, the refrigerant further passes through the refrigeration component, which cools the refrigerant so that the refrigerant is lowered back to the temperature range required for ice making. The refrigerant cooled by the refrigeration component is added back into the ice making cycle. The refrigerant is pumped back to the first liquid storage space by the water pump 51. This cycle is repeated until the water in the ice making space 31 is completely frozen into ice.

[0086] like Figure 1 As shown, according to some embodiments of the present invention, the ice-making circuit 5 further includes a liquid storage tank 52, which is used to store a refrigerant. The liquid storage tank 52 is located on the flow path of the refrigerant, that is, the liquid inlet 504 and the liquid outlet 506 of the liquid storage tank 52 are respectively connected to the liquid delivery channel.

[0087] The liquid storage tank 52 is directly or indirectly connected to the water pump 51, the refrigeration components, and the first liquid storage space via a liquid delivery channel. During the ice-making process, the liquid storage tank 52 can serve as a transfer station in the process of transporting the refrigerant, so that excess refrigerant can be stored in the liquid storage tank 52.

[0088] It should be noted that the present invention does not specifically limit the location of the liquid storage tank 52 in the refrigerant circulation path. For example, the liquid storage tank 52 can be located between the refrigeration component and the ice-making component 3; or, the liquid storage tank 52 can be located between the refrigeration component and the water pump 51; or, the liquid storage tank 52 can be located between the water pump 51 and the ice-making component 3. It should also be noted that when the location of the liquid storage tank 52 relative to other components changes, the auxiliary effect of the liquid storage tank 52 will also change. The following will describe in detail the different auxiliary effects of the liquid storage tank 52 due to different locations based on specific embodiments.

[0089] In related technologies, ice-making components typically have three working states: a freezing state, a defrosting state, and a defrosting state. In the freezing state, the ice-making component receives external cold air to cool the water in the ice-making space, thereby causing the water to freeze into ice. In the defrosting state, the ice-making component receives external heat to heat the ice in the ice-making space, thereby causing the ice to fall off. In the defrosting state, the ice-making component receives external heat to heat the frost that has condensed on its surface, thereby causing the frost on the surface of the ice-making component to melt.

[0090] Since the ice-making components need to be heated in both the de-icing and defrosting states, if the refrigerant used to cool the ice-making components is not removed, the refrigerant will affect the normal heating process during de-icing and defrosting. This will result in the ice-making components being heated and cooled simultaneously, leading to higher system energy consumption during de-icing and defrosting, and poorer de-icing and defrosting effects.

[0091] A related technology proposes a refrigeration device in which, when the heating wire of the refrigeration device is working, the pump in the cold storage pipeline reverses to empty the cold storage tank under the ice grid. However, the water pump in this solution must be a bidirectional pump, and the forward and reverse rotation of the water pump needs to be controlled, making the control steps complex and cumbersome. In addition, since the liquid receiver needs to meet the following condition: the liquid and air stored inside it can completely fill the ice-making circuit 5, the volume of the liquid receiver is large, resulting in a large overall volume of the refrigeration device, and a complex structure, high cost, and inconvenient assembly.

[0092] like Figure 1 As shown, in order to solve the above-mentioned technical problems, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a liquid inlet 504 and an air inlet 503 are formed between the liquid storage tank 52 and the first heat exchange tube section 501, and the liquid inlet 504 and the air inlet 503 are respectively selectively fluid-connected to the first heat exchange tube section 501.

[0093] In this embodiment, when the ice-making component 3 enters the freezing state, the first heat exchange tube section 501 needs to be filled with refrigerant. The user can control the first heat exchange tube section 501 to connect with the liquid inlet 504 and control the first heat exchange tube section 501 to disconnect from the air inlet 503. Subsequently, the water pump 51 starts, and the refrigerant liquid in the liquid storage tank 52 enters the liquid inlet 504 through the liquid delivery channel, and enters the inlet of the first heat exchange tube section 501 through the liquid inlet 504, finally filling the first liquid storage space, so that the refrigerant in the first heat exchange tube section 501 can cool the ice-making space 31.

[0094] When the ice-making component 3 enters the de-icing or defrosting state, the refrigerant in the first heat exchange tube section 501 needs to be extracted. The user can then connect the first heat exchange tube section 501 to the air inlet 503 and disconnect it from the liquid inlet 504. Subsequently, the water pump 51 starts, pumping the refrigerant in the same direction. The refrigerant in the first heat exchange tube section 501 flows out from its outlet and then into the liquid storage tank 52 through the liquid delivery channel. During the refrigerant flow, to achieve pressure balance within the ice-making circuit 5, gas is drawn in from the air inlet 503 and then enters and fills the first liquid storage space through the inlet of the first heat exchange tube section 501. This ensures that the refrigerant in the first liquid storage space is completely extracted, thus preventing the refrigerant from adversely affecting the heating process during de-icing or defrosting.

[0095] It should be explained that, compared to solutions in related technologies, the water pump 51 used in this embodiment does not need to be a bidirectional pump. The water pump 51 can simultaneously achieve the functions of filling and pumping liquid through unidirectional pumping. Therefore, the control steps adopted in this embodiment are simple and easy to operate, and the cost of the water pump 51 is lower. For example, if the water pump 51 is located between the ice-making component 3 and the liquid storage tank 52, the pumping direction of the water pump 51 can be only a unidirectional direction from the ice-making component 3 to the liquid storage tank 52.

[0096] In summary, according to the refrigeration assembly of this embodiment of the invention, when the ice-making component 3 enters the defrosting or de-icing state, the refrigerant inside the first heat exchange tube section 501 can be completely extracted, thereby ensuring the normal operation of the heating process and avoiding the phenomenon that the ice-making component 3 is simultaneously heated and cooled, thus reducing the system energy consumption during the defrosting and de-icing process, and improving the defrosting and de-icing effects. In addition, the water pump 51 does not need to be a bidirectional pump, and the refrigeration assembly does not need to control the forward and reverse rotation of the water pump 51, thus simplifying the control steps and making it easy to operate.

[0097] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the liquid storage tank 52 is provided with a liquid outlet 506 and an air outlet 505. The liquid outlet 506 is formed at the lower end of the liquid storage tank 52, and the air outlet 505 is formed at the upper end of the liquid storage tank 52. The liquid inlet 504 is connected to the liquid outlet 506.

[0098] like Figure 1 As shown, both the air outlet 505 and the air inlet 503 achieve air pressure balance with the outside environment, or, as... Figure 2 As shown, an air pressure balance is formed between the air outlet 505 and the air inlet 503.

[0099] In this embodiment, gas can be drawn into the first liquid storage space from the external environment, or gas can be drawn into the first liquid storage space from the liquid storage tank 52. Furthermore, since the density of the cold storage liquid is greater than that of the gas, on the one hand, the cold storage liquid is concentrated in the lower half of the liquid storage tank 52, so that only the cold storage liquid flows through the liquid outlet 506; on the other hand, the gas is concentrated in the upper half of the liquid storage tank 52, so that only gas flows through the gas outlet 505.

[0100] like Figure 1 As shown, in one embodiment of the present invention, when the ice-making component 3 enters the freezing state, the user can control the first heat exchange tube section 501 to connect with the liquid inlet 504 and control the first heat exchange tube section 501 to disconnect from the air inlet 503. Subsequently, the water pump 51 starts, and the refrigerant liquid in the liquid storage tank 52 flows out from the liquid outlet 506 and enters the liquid inlet 504 through the liquid delivery channel. Then, it enters the inlet of the first heat exchange tube section 501 through the liquid inlet 504 and finally fills the first liquid storage space.

[0101] like Figure 1 As shown, in one embodiment of the present invention, if both the air outlet 505 and the air inlet 503 achieve air pressure equilibrium with the outside environment, the specific flow process of the refrigerant and gas is as follows:

[0102] When the ice-making component 3 enters the de-icing or defrosting state, the user can control the first heat exchange tube section 501 to connect with the air inlet 503 and control the first heat exchange tube section 501 to disconnect from the liquid inlet 504. Subsequently, the water pump 51 starts and pumps the refrigerant in the same direction. The refrigerant in the first heat exchange tube section 501 flows out from the outlet of the first heat exchange tube section 501 and then flows into the liquid storage tank 52 through the liquid delivery channel.

[0103] During the circulation of the refrigerant, in order to achieve pressure balance inside the ice-making circuit 5, on the one hand, external gas will be drawn in through the air inlet 503, and then the gas will enter and fill the first liquid storage space through the inlet of the first heat exchange tube section 501. On the other hand, the extracted refrigerant enters the liquid storage tank 52, causing its internal pressure to increase. Since the liquid storage tank 52 is provided with an air outlet 505, the liquid storage tank 52 will release pressure from the air outlet 505.

[0104] In this embodiment, compared with the solutions in related technologies, since both the air inlet 503 and the air outlet 505 are connected to the external environment, the liquid storage tank 52 only needs to meet the requirement of being able to hold the refrigerant in the ice-making circuit 5. That is, in the de-icing state and the defrosting state, the liquid storage tank 52 only needs to be able to hold the refrigerant that is sucked in, thereby reducing the volume of the liquid storage tank 52, thereby reducing the space occupied by the refrigeration components, and the structure is simple, the cost is low, and the assembly is convenient.

[0105] like Figure 2 As shown, in another embodiment of the present invention, if a pressure balance is achieved between the outlet 505 and the inlet 503, that is, the outlet 505 and the inlet 503 are connected, the specific flow process of the refrigerant and the gas is as follows:

[0106] When the ice-making component 3 enters the de-icing or defrosting state, the user can control the first heat exchange tube section 501 to connect with the air inlet 503 and control the first heat exchange tube section 501 to disconnect from the liquid inlet 504. Subsequently, the water pump 51 starts and pumps the refrigerant in the same direction. The refrigerant in the first heat exchange tube section 501 flows out from the outlet of the first heat exchange tube section 501 and then flows into the liquid storage tank 52 through the liquid delivery channel.

[0107] In the process of cold storage agent circulation, in order to achieve pressure balance inside the ice-making circuit 5, excess gas inside the liquid storage tank 52 will flow from the outlet 505 to the inlet 503. Then, the gas enters and fills the first liquid storage space through the inlet 503. In this way, the closed-loop circulation process of gas and liquid inside the ice-making circuit 5 is realized, and the pressure balance inside the ice-making circuit 5 is guaranteed.

[0108] In this embodiment, since the air outlet 505 is connected to the air inlet 503, the ice-making circuit 5 has good sealing performance, avoiding adverse effects of the external environment on the flow of fluid in the ice-making circuit 5.

[0109] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the liquid storage tank 52 is structurally designed to ensure that when air bubbles are output from the pipe at the bottom of the liquid storage tank 52, the refrigerant liquid will not overflow to the air outlet 505 due to the action of the air bubbles. For example, after all the liquid in the first heat exchange tube section 501 is drawn into the liquid storage tank 52, the liquid level in the liquid storage tank 52 is lower than the position of the air outlet 505 of the liquid storage tank 52.

[0110] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the ice-making assembly 2 further includes a controller 7. The controller 7 is adapted to control the liquid inlet 504 to communicate with the first heat exchange tube section 501 and to control the air inlet 503 to disconnect from the first heat exchange tube section 501 when the ice-making component 3 enters the freezing state.

[0111] Furthermore, the controller 7 is also adapted to control the liquid inlet 504 to disconnect from the first heat exchange tube section 501 and control the air inlet 503 to connect with the first heat exchange tube section 501 according to whether the ice-making component 3 enters the de-icing state or the defrosting state.

[0112] In this embodiment, the controller 7 enables automatic control of the ice-making component 2 under different operating states, thereby facilitating user operation and improving the user experience. The flow process of the refrigerant and gas inside the ice-making component 2 under different operating states has been described in detail above and will not be repeated here.

[0113] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the ice-making circuit 5 may be equipped with a one-way valve, a three-way valve, or other structures to allow selective connection between the air inlet 503 and the liquid inlet 504 and the first heat exchange tube section 501. Of course, the present invention does not impose any special limitations, as long as the ice-making circuit 5 can allow selective connection between the air inlet 503 and the liquid inlet 504 and the first heat exchange tube section 501.

[0114] like Figure 1 As shown, in one embodiment of the present invention, the ice-making circuit 5 further includes a three-way valve (e.g., Figure 1 The first three-way valve 507 in the middle. The three-way valve has a valve outlet, a first valve inlet and a second valve inlet. The valve outlet is connected to the first heat exchange tube section 501. The first valve inlet forms an air inlet 503 and the second valve inlet forms a liquid inlet 504.

[0115] In this way, the ice-making circuit 5 can selectively connect the air inlet 503 and the liquid inlet 504 to the first heat exchange tube section 501 via a three-way valve. Furthermore, the three-way valve simplifies the piping structure of the ice-making circuit 5, avoiding excessive piping, and its installation is also more convenient. For example, the three-way valve can be a solenoid three-way valve, located between the liquid storage tank 52 and the first heat exchange tube section 501. The solenoid three-way valve is electrically or signal-connected to the controller 7, which can control the on / off status of each port within the solenoid three-way valve.

[0116] In another embodiment of the present invention, the ice-making circuit 5 further includes a first one-way valve (not shown in the figure) and a second one-way valve (not shown in the figure). The outlet of the first one-way valve is connected to the first heat exchange tube section 501, and the inlet of the first one-way valve forms an air inlet 503. The outlet of the second one-way valve is connected to the first heat exchange tube section 501, and the inlet of the second one-way valve forms a liquid inlet 504. The first one-way valve and the second one-way valve are arranged in parallel.

[0117] Thus, the first one-way valve can control the connection between the air inlet 503 and the first heat exchange tube section 501, and the second one-way valve can control the connection between the liquid inlet 504 and the second heat exchange tube section 502. The first one-way valve can be located on the pipeline upstream of the first heat exchange tube section 501; alternatively, it can be located at the inlet of the first heat exchange tube section 501; or it can be located at the outlet of components such as the liquid storage tank 52, the refrigeration unit, or the water pump 51. The location of the second one-way valve is similar to that of the first one-way valve and will not be described further. Of course, this invention does not impose any special limitations on the locations of the first and second one-way valves.

[0118] In one embodiment of the present invention, the first check valve and the second check valve are connected in parallel and are both located between the first heat exchange tube section 501 and the liquid storage tank 52. The first check valve and the second check valve are both connected to the control electrical circuit or the signal circuit. The controller 7 can control the opening and closing of the first check valve and the second check valve.

[0119] The following is based on Figure 1 A specific embodiment of the ice-making component 2 of the present invention is described.

[0120] like Figure 1 As shown, the ice-making circuit 5 includes a water pump 51, a refrigeration component, a liquid storage tank 52, and a first three-way valve 507. The water pump 51, the refrigeration component, the liquid storage tank 52, and the first three-way valve 507 are connected in series through a delivery pipeline. The refrigeration component is a heat exchanger 53. The water pump 51 is a one-way pump and the pumping direction is from the water pump 51 toward the liquid storage tank 52.

[0121] The ice-making assembly 2 also includes an ice-making component 3, which is an ice grid. The ice grid is located between the water pump 51 and the first three-way valve 507, and the first heat exchange tube section 501 is formed on the bottom and side walls of the ice grid. The valve outlet of the first three-way valve 507 is connected to the inlet of the first heat exchange tube section 501, the first valve inlet of the first three-way valve 507 forms an air inlet 503 and is connected to the external environment, and the second valve inlet of the first three-way valve 507 forms a liquid inlet 504 and is connected to the liquid outlet 506 of the liquid storage tank 52.

[0122] The liquid outlet 506 and the inlet of the liquid storage tank 52 are both located at the bottom of the liquid storage tank 52, and the top of the liquid storage tank 52 is open to form an air outlet 505, which is connected to the external environment.

[0123] When the ice tray enters the freezing state, the first valve inlet and valve outlet of the first three-way valve 507 are disconnected, and the second valve inlet and valve outlet of the first three-way valve 507 are connected, so that the refrigerant circulates in the ice-making circuit 5 to cool the ice tray.

[0124] When the ice tray enters the de-icing or defrosting state, the first valve inlet and valve outlet of the first three-way valve 507 are connected, and the second valve inlet and valve outlet of the first three-way valve 507 are disconnected. The water pump 51 draws the refrigerant in the first heat exchange tube section 501. The refrigerant is drawn from the outlet of the first heat exchange tube section 501 into the liquid storage tank 52. The excess pressure in the liquid storage tank 52 is released from the air outlet 505. At the same time, air enters the first heat exchange tube section 501 from the first valve inlet of the first three-way valve 507, eventually filling the interior of the first heat exchange tube section 501 with air and completely drawing out the refrigerant.

[0125] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a liquid level sensor (e.g., ...) is provided inside the liquid storage tank 52. Figure 4 The liquid level sensor 57 is provided in the liquid storage tank 52; or, a pressure sensor or a weight sensor is provided at the bottom of the liquid storage tank 52; or, a flow sensor is provided at the inlet of the liquid storage tank 52.

[0126] In this way, by using sensors such as liquid level sensors, pressure sensors, weight sensors or flow sensors, the change in the total amount of refrigerant in the liquid storage tank 52 can be detected, thereby indirectly determining whether the refrigerant in the first heat exchange tube section 501 has been completely extracted.

[0127] like Figure 4 As shown, in one embodiment of the present invention, taking the liquid level sensor 57 installed in the liquid storage tank 52 as an example, during the freezing and ice-making process of the ice-making component 3, since the refrigerant forms a dynamic equilibrium in the ice-making circuit 5, the liquid level in the liquid storage tank 52 generally remains unchanged in the freezing state. At this time, the controller 7 records the first liquid level in the liquid storage tank 52 in the freezing state. In the defrosting or de-icing state of the ice-making component 3, the refrigerant needs to be completely extracted from the first heat exchange tube section 501. During the extraction of the refrigerant, the liquid level in the liquid storage tank 52 continuously rises. At this time, the controller 7 can record the second liquid level in the liquid storage tank 52. Then, the controller 7 compares the first liquid level with the second liquid level to obtain the change in the total amount of refrigerant in the liquid storage tank 52.

[0128] Since the capacity of the first heat exchange tube section 501 is known, the controller 7 can further compare the capacity of the first heat exchange tube section 501 with the change in the total amount of refrigerant. If the change in the total amount of refrigerant is less than the capacity of the first heat exchange tube section 501, it indicates that the refrigerant in the first heat exchange tube section 501 has not been completely extracted; if the change in the total amount of refrigerant is equal to or slightly less than the capacity of the first heat exchange tube section 501, it indicates that the refrigerant in the first heat exchange tube section 501 has been completely extracted.

[0129] The working principles of other types of sensors, such as pressure sensors, weight sensors, and flow sensors, are similar to those of the liquid level sensor 57 described above, and will not be repeated here. It should be noted that as long as the controller 7 can obtain the change in the total amount of refrigerant in the storage tank 52 based on the sensor, the sensor can monitor the extraction of refrigerant in the first heat exchange tube section 501.

[0130] It should also be noted that the aforementioned level sensor, pressure sensor, weight sensor, or flow sensor can also detect leaks in the ice-making circuit 5 under frozen conditions. This will be described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments.

[0131] According to one embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the sidewall and bottom wall of the ice-making component 3 includes a first heat exchange tube section 501. This increases the heat exchange area between the first heat exchange tube section 501 and the ice-making component 3, improving the heat exchange efficiency between the refrigerant in the first heat exchange tube section 501 and the water in the ice-making component 3, resulting in better cooling performance of the first heat exchange tube section 501 for the ice-making component 3. For example, the first heat exchange tube section 501 is formed on each of the sidewalls and bottom wall of the ice-making component 3, thereby further increasing the heat exchange area between the refrigerant and the ice-making component 3.

[0132] like Figure 3 As shown, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the ice-making component 2 further includes an ice storage component 4. The ice storage component 4 forms an ice storage space (not shown in the figure). After the ice-making component 3 completes the freezing and ice-making process, the ice-making component 3 enters the de-icing state, and the ice blocks that fall off from the ice-making space 31 of the ice-making component 3 enter the ice storage space of the ice storage component 4, whereby the ice storage component 4 further preserves and refrigerates the prepared ice blocks.

[0133] In related technologies, since ice storage boxes are used to store prepared ice, their temperature directly affects the quality of the ice. Therefore, how to effectively cool the ice storage boxes has become a hot topic in the industry. Existing solutions mainly fall into two categories: one is to use a fan to draw air from the evaporator, thereby enhancing air heat exchange to cool the ice storage box; the other is to design fins at the bottom of the ice maker to dissipate the cold energy of the ice maker, thereby lowering the temperature of the air inside the ice storage box and thus achieving ice storage.

[0134] However, the above two solutions have the following drawbacks:

[0135] First, for the solution that uses a fan to draw air from the evaporator, the cooling capacity of the air is consumed along the way as the fan draws air to cool the ice storage box. Furthermore, if the fan continues to run during the defrosting and de-icing process, the cooling capacity of the air and the energy for heating will consume each other, thereby increasing the overall energy consumption of the refrigerator. If the fan stops running during the defrosting and de-icing process, the temperature of the ice storage box will rise rapidly, which will seriously affect the quality of the ice.

[0136] Secondly, the solution of adding fins to the bottom of the ice maker has limitations. Firstly, the fin area is limited, and secondly, this solution requires air to cool the ice storage box, resulting in significant loss of cooling capacity and limited cooling effect on the ice storage box.

[0137] like Figure 3 As shown, in order to solve the above-mentioned technical problems, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the ice-making circuit 5 further includes a first pipe 54, a second pipe 55 and a third pipe 56. The first pipe 54 includes a first heat exchange pipe section 501, the second pipe 55 includes a second heat exchange pipe section 502, and the second heat exchange pipe section 502 is adapted to cool the ice storage space.

[0138] The first pipe 54 and the second pipe 55 are connected in parallel, and both the first pipe 54 and the second pipe 55 are connected to the third pipe 56. The first pipe 54 and the third pipe 56 are optionally connected in fluid communication.

[0139] The specific flow process of the refrigerant is as follows: After being cooled by the refrigeration components, the refrigerant in the third pipe 56 flows out from the outlet end of the third pipe 56. When the first pipe 54 and the third pipe 56 are connected, the refrigerant flowing out of the third pipe 56 is split into two streams. One stream of refrigerant flows through the first pipe 54 into the first heat exchange tube section 501, thereby cooling the ice-making component 3. The other stream of refrigerant flows through the second pipe 55 into the second heat exchange tube section 502, thereby cooling the ice storage component 4. When the first pipe 54 and the third pipe 56 are disconnected, the refrigerant flowing out of the third pipe 56 flows only into the second pipe 55 and enters the second heat exchange tube section 502, thereby cooling the ice storage component 4.

[0140] In this embodiment, the internal spaces of the first pipe 54, the second pipe 55, and the third pipe 56 together define a liquid delivery channel for conveying the refrigerant. The purpose of the first pipe 54 is to deliver the refrigerant to the first heat exchange tube section 501, thereby cooling the ice-making component 3 and realizing the ice-making process of the ice-making component 3. The purpose of the second pipe 55 is to deliver the refrigerant to the second heat exchange tube section 502, thereby cooling the ice storage component 4 and realizing the cold storage of ice blocks inside the ice storage component 4.

[0141] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the connection between the first pipe 54 and the third pipe 56 can be determined based on the working state of the ice-making component 3. For example, when the ice-making component 3 enters the freezing state, the first pipe 54 and the third pipe 56 are connected, and the refrigerant can simultaneously cool the ice-making component 3 and the ice storage component 4. When the ice-making component 3 enters the de-icing or defrosting state, in order to avoid the refrigerant affecting the heating process during de-icing and defrosting, the first pipe 54 and the third pipe 56 can be disconnected. At this time, the refrigerant only cools the ice storage component 4. In this way, on the one hand, the cold energy of the refrigerant and the heat during the heating process can be avoided from consuming each other, reducing the overall energy consumption of the refrigeration equipment and ensuring the de-icing and defrosting effect. On the other hand, the ice in the ice storage component 4 can be refrigerated at the same time, thereby ensuring the quality of the ice.

[0142] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the ice storage component 4 cools itself through heat exchange with the second heat exchange tube section 502, that is, the ice storage component 4 does not need to be cooled by air cooling, the refrigeration process of the ice storage component 4 and the heating process of the ice making component 3 do not affect each other compared with related technologies. Thus, while ensuring the refrigeration effect of the ice storage component 4, the de-icing effect and defrosting effect of the ice making component 3 are also guaranteed.

[0143] In summary, the ice-making assembly 2 according to the embodiments of the present invention, by providing a first pipe 54 and a second pipe 55 connected in parallel, can simultaneously cool the ice-making component 3 and the ice storage component 4. Furthermore, the connection between the first pipe 54 and the third pipe 56 can be disconnected during the defrosting and de-icing process, thereby avoiding the adverse effects of the cold energy of the refrigerant on the heating process during defrosting and de-icing, reducing system energy consumption, and without affecting the cooling process of the ice storage component 4.

[0144] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the controller 7 of the ice-making component 2 is adapted to control the connection between the first pipe 54 and the third pipe 56 according to the ice-making component 3 entering the freezing state.

[0145] Furthermore, the controller 7 is also adapted to disconnect the first pipe 54 and the third pipe 56 according to whether the ice-making component 3 enters the de-icing state or the defrosting state.

[0146] In this embodiment, the controller 7 enables automatic control of the ice-making component 2 under different operating states, thereby facilitating user operation and improving the user experience. The flow process of the refrigerant inside the ice-making component 2 under different operating states has been described in detail above and will not be repeated here.

[0147] like Figure 3 As shown, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the second pipeline 55 and the third pipeline 56 may be in selective fluid communication.

[0148] In this embodiment, the cooling or non-cooling of the ice storage component 4 can be achieved by controlling the connection or disconnection between the second pipe 55 and the third pipe 56. For example, the controller 7 of the ice-making component 2 can control the cooling or non-cooling of the ice storage component 4 based on whether there is ice in the ice storage space. When there is ice in the ice storage space, the second pipe 55 and the third pipe 56 are connected to refrigerate the ice in the ice storage space; when there is no ice in the ice storage space, the second pipe 55 and the third pipe 56 are disconnected to save overall energy consumption.

[0149] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the controller 7 is adapted to connect the second pipe 55 and the third pipe 56 when ice is stored in the ice storage space. Furthermore, the controller 7 is also adapted to disconnect the second pipe 55 and the third pipe 56 when no ice is stored in the ice storage space.

[0150] In this embodiment, the controller 7 can automatically control the ice-making component 2 under different ice storage states, thereby facilitating user operation and improving user experience. The ice storage states include at least the ice-free state (no ice in the ice storage component 4), the ice-containing state (ice in the ice storage component 4), and the full ice state (ice storage component 4 is full of ice).

[0151] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the controller 7 is adapted to control the on / off state between the first pipe 54 and the third pipe 56, and the on / off state between the second pipe 55 and the third pipe 56, depending on the ice-making component 3 being in different working states and the ice-storing component 4 being in different ice-storing states.

[0152] In this embodiment, the specific working process of the ice-making component 2 is as follows:

[0153] like Figure 3 As shown, if the ice-making component 3 enters the freezing state and the ice storage component 4 is in the state of having ice or being full of ice, the controller 7 controls the first pipeline 54 and the second pipeline 55 to be connected to the third pipeline 56. At this time, the refrigerant simultaneously cools the ice-making component 3 and the ice storage component 4.

[0154] like Figure 3 As shown, if the ice-making component 3 enters the defrosting or de-icing state, and the ice storage component 4 is in the state of having ice or being full of ice, the controller 7 controls the first pipe 54 to disconnect from the third pipe 56, and controls the second pipe 55 to connect with the third pipe 56. At this time, the refrigerant only cools the ice storage component 4.

[0155] like Figure 3As shown, if the ice-making component 3 enters the freezing state and the ice storage component 4 is in the ice-free state, the controller 7 controls the first pipe 54 to connect with the third pipe 56 and controls the second pipe 55 to disconnect from the third pipe 56. At this time, the refrigerant only cools the ice-making component 3, thus maximizing the ice-making speed.

[0156] like Figure 3 As shown, if the ice-making component 3 enters the defrosting or de-icing state and the ice storage component 4 is in the ice-free state, the controller 7 can control the first pipeline 54 and the second pipeline 55 to disconnect from the third pipeline 56. At this time, the refrigerant will not cool the ice-making component 3 and the ice storage component 4, which can greatly reduce the system energy consumption.

[0157] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the on / off connection between the first pipeline 54, the second pipeline 55 and the third pipeline 56 can be achieved by a three-way valve, multiple two-way valves or other structures. The present invention does not impose any special limitations, as long as the first pipeline 54 and the second pipeline 55 are both on / off connected to the third pipeline 56.

[0158] In one embodiment of the present invention, the inlet end of the first pipeline 54 and the inlet end of the second pipeline 55 are connected by a three-way valve (e.g., Figure 3 The second three-way valve 508 in the pipeline is optionally fluidly connected to the outlet end of the third pipeline 56.

[0159] In this way, the ice-making circuit 5 can be connected to the first pipe 54 and the second pipe 55 respectively with the third pipe 56 via a three-way valve. Furthermore, the three-way valve simplifies the piping structure of the ice-making circuit 5, avoiding excessive piping, and its installation is also more convenient. For example, the three-way valve can be a solenoid three-way valve, which is electrically or signal-connected to the controller 7. The controller 7 can control the on / off status of each port within the solenoid three-way valve.

[0160] In another embodiment of the invention, the inlet end of the first pipeline 54 and the outlet end of the third pipeline 56 are connected by a two-way valve (not shown in the figure), and the inlet end of the second pipeline 55 and the outlet end of the third pipeline 56 are connected by another two-way valve.

[0161] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the outlet end of the first pipeline 54 and the outlet end of the second pipeline 55 are both connected by a three-way valve (e.g., Figure 3 The third three-way valve 509 in the pipeline is optionally fluidly connected to the inlet end of the third pipeline 56.

[0162] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the ice-making component 3 is an ice-making grid, the ice-making space 31 is an ice-making tank formed in the ice-making grid, and at least one of the side wall and bottom wall of the ice-making grid is formed with a first liquid storage space suitable for storing a refrigerant, and the first pipeline 54 passes through the first liquid storage space. That is, a first heat exchange tube section 501 is formed in at least one of the side wall and bottom wall of the ice-making grid, and the first heat exchange tube section 501 defines the first liquid storage space.

[0163] like Figure 3 As shown, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the ice storage component 4 is an ice storage box, the ice storage space is an ice storage tank formed in the ice storage box, and at least one of the side wall and bottom wall of the ice storage box is formed with a second liquid storage space suitable for storing a refrigerant, and the second pipeline 55 passes through the second liquid storage space. That is, the second heat exchange tube section 502 is formed in at least one of the side wall and bottom wall of the ice storage box, and the second heat exchange tube section 502 defines the second liquid storage space.

[0164] This increases the heat exchange area between the refrigerant and the ice storage box, thereby improving the heat exchange effect between the refrigerant in the second liquid storage space and the ice in the ice storage box, thus ensuring the refrigeration effect of the ice and helping to improve the quality of the ice.

[0165] The following is for reference. Figure 3 A specific embodiment of the ice-making component 2 according to the present invention is described.

[0166] like Figure 3 As shown, the ice-making assembly 2 includes a water pump 51, a refrigeration component, an ice-making component 3, and an ice-storage component 4. The refrigeration component is a heat exchanger 53, the ice-making component 3 is an ice grid, and the ice-storage component 4 is an ice storage box. A third pipe 56 flows through the water pump 51 and the heat exchanger 53. A first pipe 54 flows through the ice grid, and a second pipe 55 flows through the ice storage box. The first pipe 54 and the second pipe 55 are connected in parallel, and both the first pipe 54 and the second pipe 55 are connected to the third pipe 56.

[0167] The outlet of the third pipeline 56 is selectively connected to the inlet of the first pipeline 54 and the inlet of the second pipeline 55 via the second three-way valve 508. The outlets of the first pipeline 54 and the second pipeline 55 are connected to the inlet of the three pipelines via the third three-way valve 509.

[0168] According to the ice-making assembly 2 of this embodiment, the refrigerant can directly act on the ice tray or ice storage box for cooling, maximizing the reduction of the distance cold air travels, reducing energy loss, and increasing the ice-making speed of the ice tray and the cooling speed of the ice storage box. Furthermore, during the defrosting and de-icing process, the refrigerant is separated from the heating element located on the ice tray, thereby minimizing the energy loss between the refrigerant and the heating element, and thus saving energy.

[0169] In addition, the ice-making component 2 connects the refrigerant flow paths of the ice grid and the ice storage box in parallel for independent management, thereby providing greater freedom for the component's control logic and facilitating more targeted management of the refrigerant flow under different operating conditions, thus providing greater potential for energy consumption reduction for the overall component.

[0170] In related technologies, because the entire refrigerant circulation pipeline has multiple connection structures during the ice-making process, and the connection between the refrigerant circulation pipeline and the ice-making components is usually sealed with sealing rings, the refrigerant is prone to leakage during circulation. Once the refrigerant leaks, the leaked refrigerant may enter the water or ice, thereby affecting food hygiene and potentially causing harm to the human body.

[0171] Therefore, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the refrigeration equipment further includes a leak detection component, which can monitor the flow of the refrigerant during the circulation process, thereby promptly detecting whether the refrigerant leaks or other faults, and ensuring the normal operation of the refrigeration equipment.

[0172] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the outlet 5012 of the first heat exchange tube section 501 is located at the highest point of the first heat exchange tube section 501.

[0173] Thus, when the refrigerant enters the first heat exchange tube section 501, the liquid level of the refrigerant in the first heat exchange tube section 501 continuously rises. The gas inside the first heat exchange tube section 501 rises and is discharged from the outlet 5012. Since the outlet 5012 of the first heat exchange tube section 501 is located at the highest point of the first heat exchange tube section 501, the refrigerant can only continue to flow out from the outlet 5012 of the first heat exchange tube section 501 when the first heat exchange tube section 501 is completely filled. At this time, the gas inside the first heat exchange tube section 501 is also discharged as much as possible. In summary, this embodiment can ensure that the refrigerant fills the first heat exchange tube section 501, thereby ensuring the heat exchange efficiency of the first heat exchange tube section 501.

[0174] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the inlet 5011 of the first heat exchange tube section 501 is located at the lowest point of the first heat exchange tube section 501.

[0175] In this way, the refrigerant enters from the lowest point of the first heat exchange tube section 501 and flows out from the highest point of the first heat exchange tube section 501. The liquid level of the refrigerant in the first heat exchange tube section 501 continuously rises from the lowest point to the highest point, thereby avoiding the generation of bubbles in the refrigerant during the input process. This ensures that the gas in the first heat exchange tube section 501 is completely vented, thereby further improving the heat exchange efficiency of the first heat exchange tube section 501.

[0176] like Figure 5 As shown, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the top wall of the first heat exchange tube section 501 extends upward gradually from its inlet 5011 toward its outlet 5012.

[0177] In this embodiment, as the liquid level of the refrigerant in the first heat exchange tube section 501 rises, the refrigerant first contacts the lowest point of the top wall of the first heat exchange tube section 501, and then the refrigerant gradually contacts other parts of the top wall of the first heat exchange tube.

[0178] In this way, on the one hand, if the first heat exchange tube section 501 is formed on the bottom wall of the ice-making component 3, the top wall of the first heat exchange tube section 501 is closest to the ice-making space 31. During the input of the refrigerant, the refrigerant can quickly contact the top wall of the first heat exchange tube section 501 (i.e., the refrigerant quickly contacts the lowest point of the top wall of the first heat exchange tube section 501). Therefore, the heat exchange efficiency can be improved by quickly contacting the top wall of the first heat exchange tube section 501. On the other hand, by setting the top wall at an inclination, the refrigerant can gradually push the gas to the outlet 5012 during the input process, which makes it easier to exhaust the gas in the first heat exchange tube section 501.

[0179] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the leakage detection component includes a liquid level sensor, a pressure sensor or a weight sensor, etc. The aforementioned sensor (i.e., liquid level sensor, pressure sensor or weight sensor, etc.) is disposed in the liquid storage tank 52, and the aforementioned sensor can monitor the changes in the amount of refrigerant stored in the liquid storage tank 52.

[0180] When the first heat exchange tube section 501 meets the condition that its outlet 5012 is at the highest point of the first heat exchange tube section 501, the refrigerant will fill the first heat exchange tube section 501 during the circulation process. If the ice-making component 2 is in a normal freezing state at this time, that is, no leakage occurs at any position of the ice-making circuit 5, then the standard storage range in the liquid storage tank 52 can be obtained through the detection results of the above sensors.

[0181] During the ice-making process of the ice-making circuit 5 (i.e., when the ice-making component 3 is in a frozen state), the real-time storage capacity of the refrigerant in the liquid storage tank 52 can be obtained through the detection results of the aforementioned sensors. The real-time storage capacity is compared with the standard storage capacity range. If the real-time storage capacity is lower than the standard storage capacity range, it proves that the ice-making circuit 5 has leaked, thereby achieving the purpose of leak detection.

[0182] like Figure 3 As shown, in one embodiment of the present invention, the leakage detection component includes a liquid level sensor 57, which is disposed inside the liquid storage tank 52 and can monitor the liquid level change of the refrigerant in the liquid storage tank 52.

[0183] In this embodiment, the specific working principle of the liquid level sensor 57 to realize the leakage detection function is as follows: After ice making starts, the water pump 51 starts working and pumps the cold storage agent into the first liquid storage space until the first liquid storage space is full. Then the cold storage agent passes through the refrigeration component and flows back to the water pump 51. After the cold storage agent flows out of the water pump 51 again, the cold storage agent enters a stable circulation stage.

[0184] If there is no refrigerant leak in the refrigeration equipment, the refrigerant will remain in a dynamic equilibrium state during circulation. Consequently, the liquid level inside the storage tank 52 will remain constant or fluctuate only slightly. Therefore, the liquid level sensor 57 will detect that the liquid level inside the storage tank 52 remains constant or within a small range of variation. It should be noted that "within a small range of variation" means that the fluctuation in liquid level is within an acceptable error range.

[0185] If a refrigerant leaks in the refrigeration equipment, the dynamic balance of the refrigerant during the circulation process will be disrupted, resulting in a change or a significant change in the liquid level in the storage tank 52. Consequently, the liquid level sensor 57 detects the change in the liquid level height in the storage tank 52 or a change within a large range.

[0186] It should be noted that the liquid level sensor 57 can realize the leakage detection function only if the refrigerant has entered the stable circulation stage. At this time, since the conveying channel, water pump 51, refrigeration components and the first liquid storage space are all filled with refrigerant liquid, the refrigerant leakage can be monitored by monitoring the liquid level change in the liquid storage tank 52.

[0187] It should also be noted that whether the aforementioned refrigerant has entered the stable circulation stage can be determined by monitoring whether refrigerant is entering the inlet of the storage tank 52. That is, if refrigerant is detected entering the inlet of the storage tank 52, it means that the refrigerant has entered the stable circulation stage; if no refrigerant is detected entering the inlet of the storage tank 52, it means that the refrigerant has not entered the stable circulation stage. The inlet of the storage tank 52 may be equipped with components such as a flow sensor, an infrared sensor, or an image sensor to monitor whether refrigerant is entering the inlet of the storage tank 52.

[0188] In summary, according to the embodiments of the present invention, after the refrigerant enters the stable circulation stage, if the liquid level sensor 57 detects that the liquid level inside the storage tank 52 remains unchanged or within a small range of variation, then the refrigeration equipment has not experienced a refrigerant leakage fault; if the liquid level sensor 57 detects that the liquid level inside the storage tank 52 changes or within a large range of variation, then the refrigeration equipment has experienced a refrigerant leakage fault.

[0189] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the leak detection component may include a pressure sensor (not shown in the figure), which is disposed at the bottom of the liquid storage tank 52. The pressure sensor can monitor the change in pressure exerted on the bottom by the liquid in the liquid storage tank 52. The specific working principle of the pressure sensor to realize the leak detection function is similar to that of the liquid level sensor 57, and will not be described again here.

[0190] In this embodiment, after the refrigerant enters the stable circulation stage, if the pressure sensor detects that the liquid pressure inside the liquid storage tank 52 remains unchanged or within a small range of variation, then the refrigeration equipment has not experienced a refrigerant leakage fault; if the flow sensor detects that the liquid pressure inside the liquid storage tank 52 changes or is within a large range of variation, then the refrigeration equipment has experienced a refrigerant leakage fault.

[0191] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the leak detection component may include a weight sensor (not shown in the figure), which is disposed at the bottom of the liquid storage tank 52 and can monitor changes in the weight of the liquid in the liquid storage tank 52. The specific working principle of the weight sensor to realize the leak detection function is similar to that of the liquid level sensor 57, and will not be described again here.

[0192] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the leak detection component may further include a flow sensor (not shown in the figure), which is installed at the inlet of the liquid storage tank 52 and is used to monitor the flow rate change of the refrigerant flowing into the liquid storage tank 52.

[0193] In this embodiment, after the refrigerant enters the stable circulation stage, if the refrigerant leaks in the refrigeration equipment, the flow rate of the refrigerant entering the liquid storage tank 52 will decrease due to the continuous leakage of the refrigerant; if the refrigeration equipment does not leak the refrigerant, the flow rate of the refrigerant entering the liquid storage tank 52 will not change or will be within an acceptable error range.

[0194] In summary, according to the refrigeration equipment of this embodiment, after the refrigerant enters the stable circulation stage, if the flow sensor detects that the refrigerant flow rate remains unchanged or is within an acceptable error range, then the refrigeration equipment has not experienced a refrigerant leakage fault; if the flow sensor detects that the refrigerant flow rate changes or is within a large range of change, then the refrigeration equipment has experienced a refrigerant leakage fault.

[0195] The above embodiments are only some of the many embodiments of the present invention and do not constitute a limitation on the leakage detection component of the present invention. The leakage detection component can also adopt other structures. The present invention does not make any special limitations here, as long as the leakage detection component can realize the leakage detection function.

[0196] According to one embodiment of the present invention, to detect the leak location, the leak detection component may further include multiple flow meters (not shown in the figure). These multiple flow meters are respectively installed at different locations along the refrigerant circulation path. Thus, by monitoring the flow rate at different locations along the refrigerant circulation path, the specific leak location of the refrigerant can be clearly and accurately determined. For example, the flow meters may be installed at the outlet of the water pump 51, the inlet of the first liquid storage space, the outlet of the first liquid storage space, and the outlet of the refrigeration component.

[0197] In one embodiment of the present invention, the leakage detection component includes a liquid level sensor 57 and multiple flow meters, with the liquid level sensor 57 disposed within the liquid storage tank 52. The water pump 51, ice-making component 3, refrigeration component, and liquid storage tank 52 are sequentially connected via an ice-making circuit 5. The multiple flow meters can be respectively located at the inlet of the water pump 51, the outlet of the water pump 51, the inlet of the first heat exchange tube section 501, the outlet of the first heat exchange tube section 501, the inlet of the refrigeration component, the outlet of the refrigeration component, the inlet of the liquid storage tank 52, and the outlet of the liquid storage tank 52.

[0198] If the liquid level sensor 57 detects a significant drop in liquid level after the refrigerant has entered a stable circulation phase, it indicates a refrigerant leak in the refrigeration equipment. At this point, the user can further pinpoint the location of the leak based on the results from multiple flow meters.

[0199] Users can detect refrigerant leaks in various components by comparing the inlet and outlet flow rates of the same component. For example, if the inlet flow rate of water pump 51 is greater than the outlet flow rate of water pump 51, it indicates that water pump 51 is leaking refrigerant; if the inlet flow rate of the first heat exchange tube section 501 is greater than the outlet flow rate of the first heat exchange tube section 501, it indicates that the first heat exchange tube section 501 is leaking refrigerant; if the inlet flow rate of the refrigeration component is greater than the outlet flow rate of the refrigeration component, it indicates that the refrigeration component is leaking refrigerant.

[0200] Users can also detect refrigerant leakage in each delivery channel by comparing the outlet flow rate of one component with the inlet flow rate of an adjacent component. For example, if the outlet flow rate of water pump 51 is greater than the inlet flow rate of the first heat exchange tube section 501, it indicates a leak in the delivery channel between water pump 51 and the first heat exchange tube section 501; if the outlet flow rate of the first heat exchange tube section 501 is greater than the inlet flow rate of the refrigeration component, it indicates a leak in the delivery channel between the first heat exchange tube section 501 and the refrigeration component.

[0201] like Figure 6 As shown, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a leak detection method based on the ice-making assembly 2 having a leak detection component includes:

[0202] Step 010: Obtain the standard storage range of the refrigerant in the liquid storage tank 52. The standard storage range is the amount of refrigerant stored in the liquid storage tank 52 when the ice-making component 3 is in a normal freezing state.

[0203] Step 020: When the ice-making component 3 is in a frozen state, if the amount of refrigerant stored in the liquid storage tank 52 is lower than the standard storage range, it is determined that the ice-making circuit 5 has leaked.

[0204] It should be noted that in this method, the first heat exchange tube section 501 also needs to meet the condition that its outlet is located at the highest point of the first heat exchange tube section 501. This is because only when the first heat exchange tube section 501 meets the above condition can the refrigerant fill the first heat exchange tube section 501 during the circulation process. This ensures that the amount of refrigerant in the storage tank 52 remains stable within a certain range (i.e., the standard storage range) during the circulation process of the refrigerant without leakage, and also makes it convenient to obtain the specific size of the standard storage range.

[0205] It should also be noted that the ice-making component 3 being in a normal freezing state refers to the situation where the refrigerant does not leak during the circulation process, that is, the ice-making circuit 5 does not leak.

[0206] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the leak detection method further includes:

[0207] Based on the liquid level sensor 57, pressure sensor, or weight sensor, the real-time storage volume and standard storage range of the refrigerant in the storage tank 52 are obtained.

[0208] In this embodiment, the liquid level sensor 57 can detect the liquid level and its changes of the refrigerant in the storage tank 52, the pressure sensor can detect the pressure of the refrigerant on the bottom of the storage tank 52 and its changes, and the weight sensor can detect the weight of the refrigerant in the storage tank 52 and its changes. In this way, the above sensors can all reflect the total amount of refrigerant stored in the storage tank 52 and its changes, thereby indirectly obtaining the standard storage range and real-time storage of the refrigerant.

[0209] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the leakage detection method of the ice-making component 2 further includes:

[0210] If a leak is detected in the ice-making circuit 5, the alarm component controlling the ice-making assembly 2 will issue an alarm.

[0211] In this embodiment, the alarm component can be a light alarm component or a sound alarm component, etc. The present invention does not make any special limitation, as long as the alarm component can sound an alarm when the ice-making circuit 5 leaks.

[0212] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the leakage detection method of the ice-making component 2 further includes:

[0213] If a leak is detected in the ice-making circuit 5, control the water pump 51 to reverse so as to pump the refrigerant back into the liquid storage tank 52.

[0214] In this way, if the ice-making circuit 5 leaks, the water pump 51 can be reversed to pump the refrigerant back into the storage tank 52, thus avoiding the problem that the water pump 51 will continue to deliver the refrigerant when there is a leak, causing the refrigerant to leak continuously until the refrigerant in the storage tank 52 is completely leaked out.

[0215] like Figure 7 As shown, a leakage detection component for an ice-making assembly 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes:

[0216] The first execution module is used to obtain the standard storage range of the refrigerant in the liquid storage tank 52. The standard storage range is the amount of refrigerant stored in the liquid storage tank 52 when the ice-making component 3 is in a normal freezing state.

[0217] The second execution module is used to determine that the ice-making circuit 5 has leaked when the ice-making component 3 is in a frozen state, based on the fact that the amount of refrigerant stored in the liquid storage tank 52 is lower than the standard storage range.

[0218] According to some embodiments of the present invention, for the ice-making assembly 2, the refrigeration component inside it can be a refrigeration system composed of components such as a compressor 61, a condenser 62, and an evaporator; or, the refrigeration component can also be a heat exchanger 53, through which the ice-making circuit 5 exchanges heat with the independently set refrigeration circuit 6, thereby enabling the refrigeration circuit 6 to cool the refrigerant in the ice-making circuit 5; or, the refrigeration component can also be a fan, which blows the cold air from the evaporator in the refrigeration circuit 6 to the vicinity of the ice-making circuit 5, thereby cooling the refrigerant.

[0219] In related technologies, the ice-making component in a refrigerator is usually cooled by a freezing or refrigeration evaporator in the refrigeration circuit. Since the freezing or refrigeration evaporator is fixed in position, and the ice-making component is usually set far away from the freezing or refrigeration evaporator, the distance of the entire heat exchange circuit is usually set far in order to achieve the cooling of the ice-making component by the freezing or refrigeration evaporator. This results in complex internal piping connections and significant loss of cooling capacity.

[0220] like Figure 8 As shown, in order to solve the above-mentioned technical problems, in one embodiment of the present invention, taking the ice-making component 2 set in the refrigerator 1 as an example, the refrigeration component in the ice-making component 2 is a heat exchanger 53, and the refrigerator 1 is provided with an independent refrigeration circuit 6. The refrigeration circuit 6 includes a compressor 61, a condenser 62 and an evaporator connected in sequence. The evaporator includes an independent refrigeration evaporator 63 and an ice-making evaporator 64.

[0221] The ice-making evaporator 64 is provided corresponding to the ice-making circuit 5, and the ice-making evaporator 64 is suitable for cooling the refrigerant in the ice-making circuit 5.

[0222] In this way, by setting up an independent ice-making evaporator 64 to cool the ice-making circuit 5, and since the ice-making evaporator 64 does not need to cool the compartments of refrigerator 1, its placement is relatively flexible. That is, the ice-making evaporator 64 can be positioned to correspond to the ice-making circuit 5, allowing its position to be changed according to actual needs so that it corresponds to the position of the ice-making assembly 2. Furthermore, the internal piping connections of refrigerator 1 are simplified, thereby reducing cold air loss.

[0223] like Figure 9 As shown, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the ice-making evaporator 64 and the refrigeration evaporator 63 are connected in parallel. This allows for relatively independent control of the ice-making evaporator 64 and the refrigeration evaporator 63; that is, the user can control the ice-making evaporator 64 to operate or shut down, and control the refrigeration evaporator 63 to operate or shut down, according to the needs of ice making or refrigeration.

[0224] like Figure 10 As shown, in one embodiment of the present invention, the ice-making evaporator 64 is on / off connected to the refrigeration circuit 6. When the ice-making component 3 needs to make ice, the ice-making evaporator 64 can be controlled to be connected to the refrigeration circuit 6, and the refrigerant in the refrigeration circuit 6 can flow through the ice-making evaporator 64, so that the ice-making evaporator 64 can cool the ice-making circuit 5 through the heat exchanger 53. When the ice-making component 3 enters the defrosting or de-icing state, the ice-making evaporator 64 can be controlled to be turned off, so that the refrigerant in the refrigeration circuit 6 no longer passes through the ice-making evaporator 64, and the ice-making evaporator 64 no longer supplies cooling to the ice-making circuit 5.

[0225] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the ice-making assembly 2 further includes a fan (not shown in the figure), which is adapted to blow the cold air from the ice-making evaporator 64 onto the ice-storing component 4. In this way, the ice-making evaporator 64 cools the ice-making assembly 3 through the heat exchanger 53 and cools the ice-storing component 4 through the fan, thereby providing not only the cooling capacity required for ice making by the ice-making assembly 3 but also the cooling capacity required for ice storage by the ice-storing component 4, thus ensuring both ice-making and ice-storing effects and achieving full utilization of the cooling capacity of the ice-making evaporator 64.

[0226] like Figure 3 As shown, according to another embodiment of the present invention, the ice storage component 4 can also be cooled by the second heat exchange tube section 502 (e.g., Figure 3 As shown), at this time, the ice-making evaporator 64 supplies cooling to the refrigerant in the entire ice-making circuit 5. The refrigerant cools the ice-making component 3 through the first heat exchange tube section 501, and the refrigerant cools the ice storage component 4 through the second heat exchange tube section 502.

[0227] like Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, the present invention also protects a refrigerator 1, including the ice-making component 2 applied to the refrigerator 1 as described above, and also includes a refrigeration circuit 6. The refrigeration circuit 6 includes a compressor 61, an evaporator and a condenser 62 that are interconnected. The evaporator includes an ice-making evaporator 64 and a refrigeration evaporator 63 that are independent of each other. The refrigeration evaporator 63 is adapted to refrigerate the compartment of the refrigerator 1, and the ice-making evaporator 64 is adapted to refrigerate the ice-making component 2.

[0228] like Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerator 1 has an ice-making compartment 11, in which the ice-making evaporator 64 and the ice-making assembly 2 are both disposed. In this way, while reducing cold loss, the ice-making assembly 3 and the heat exchanger 53 can be easily separated.

[0229] like Figure 8 As shown, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the refrigeration circuit 6 further includes a return pipe 68, a decondensation pipe 65, a filter 66, and an electric valve 67. The return pipe 68 is connected between the refrigeration evaporator 63 and the compressor 61. The decondensation pipe 65 is connected between the filter 66 and the condenser 62. The filter 66 is connected between the decondensation pipe 65 and the electric valve 67. The electric valve 67 is connected between the refrigeration evaporator 63 and the filter 66.

[0230] The present invention also protects a refrigeration device, including the ice-making component 2 in the above embodiments. The refrigeration device can be a refrigerator, ice maker, freezer, or other equipment.

[0231] This invention also protects various ice-making control methods based on the ice-making component 2 in the above embodiments.

[0232] The following is for reference. Figure 11 The ice-making control method of the ice-making component 2 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention should be noted that after the ice-making component 3 enters the freezing state (that is, during the process of water freezing into ice), the controller 7 water pump 51 can be turned on intermittently based on the ice-making control method described in this embodiment, so as to ensure sufficient heat exchange between the refrigerant in the first heat exchange tube section 501 and the ice-making component 3, and avoid the waste of the cold energy of the refrigerant in the first heat exchange tube section 501.

[0233] like Figure 11 As shown, the ice-making control method of the ice-making component 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes steps 120, 130 and 140.

[0234] Step 110: Start the ice-making circuit 5 of the ice-making component 2. The ice-making circuit 5 includes a water pump 51, an ice-making component 3, and a first heat exchange tube section 501 suitable for heat exchange with the ice-making component 3.

[0235] Step 120: Obtain ice-making information from ice-making component 2. The ice-making information includes at least one of temperature information and duration information.

[0236] Step 130: Based on the ice-making information, control the water pump 51 to start and stop intermittently.

[0237] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the above-mentioned "ice-making information of ice-making component 2" can refer to the working state of ice-making component 2 during the ice-making process. The ice-making information can refer to the heat exchange information between the refrigerant in ice-making component 2 and the cold water in ice-making component 3. The heat exchange information can show the heat exchange rate between the refrigerant and the cold water.

[0238] For step 130, the controller 7 controls the water pump 51 to start and stop intermittently based on the ice-making information. That is, the controller 7 controls the water pump 51 to start or stop based on the heat exchange information between the refrigerant and the cold water. For example, when the controller 7 detects that the heat exchange between the refrigerant and the cold water has just begun (i.e., when the cold water has just begun to absorb the cold energy of the refrigerant), the controller 7 controls the water pump 51 to shut down. At this time, a portion of the refrigerant remains in the first heat exchange tube section 501. The refrigerant in the first heat exchange tube section 501 continuously cools the cold water. After the water pump 51 has been shut down for a period of time, when the controller 7 detects that the heat exchange between the refrigerant and the cold water is complete (i.e., the cold energy of the refrigerant has been completely absorbed by the cold water), since the cold energy of the refrigerant in the first heat exchange tube section 501 has been consumed, the controller 7 controls the water pump 51 to turn on, so that the refrigerant in the ice-making circuit 5 continues to circulate. New low-temperature refrigerant is charged into the first heat exchange tube section 501 to replace the original refrigerant that has finished heat exchange, so that the new refrigerant continues to cool the cold water in the ice-making component 3.

[0239] In summary, the purpose of controlling the intermittent start and stop of the water pump 51 in this method is as follows: by turning off the water pump 51, the refrigerant that has not been fully heat-exchanged can remain in the first heat exchange tube section 501, thereby consuming all the cooling capacity of the refrigerant. Furthermore, by turning on the water pump 51, the refrigerant that has completed heat exchange can flow out of the first heat exchange tube section 501, thereby allowing new low-temperature refrigerant to replace the original refrigerant that has completed heat exchange, and thus continue to cool the cold water in the ice-making component 3.

[0240] In summary, according to the ice-making control method of the present invention, by controlling the water pump 51 to start and stop intermittently during the ice-making process of the ice-making component 2, the refrigerant in the first heat exchange tube section 501 and the cold water in the ice-making component 3 can exchange heat sufficiently. Furthermore, during the ice-making process, the water pump 51 does not need to run continuously, thereby saving the energy consumption of the water pump 51 and extending the service life of the water pump 51.

[0241] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the ice-making information includes at least one of temperature information and duration information. For example, the duration information may include the on-time and off-time of the water pump 51, and the temperature information may include the temperature value of the cold storage liquid in the first heat exchange tube section 501, the temperature value of the cold water in the ice-making component 3, the temperature change rate of the cold storage liquid over a period of time, the temperature change rate of the cold water over a period of time, or the temperature difference between the cold storage liquid and the cold water, etc. Of course, the duration information and temperature information may also include other information, and the present invention does not make any special limitations here, as long as the heat exchange rate between the cold storage agent and the cold water can be obtained through the above-mentioned duration information or temperature information.

[0242] According to one embodiment of the present invention, if the ice-making information includes duration information, then in the step of controlling the water pump 51 of the ice-making component 2 to start and stop intermittently based on the ice-making information: the water pump 51 is controlled to start and stop intermittently based on the duration information.

[0243] According to one embodiment of the present invention, this embodiment is a specific embodiment of the above-described step of controlling the water pump 51 to start and stop intermittently based on duration information, wherein the duration information includes the start duration and stop duration of the water pump 51.

[0244] In the step of intermittently starting and stopping the water pump 51 of the ice-making component 2 based on duration information:

[0245] Step 131: Based on the fact that the water pump 51 has been turned on for a preset duration, control the water pump 51 to turn off.

[0246] Step 132: Based on the fact that the water pump 51 has been shut off for a preset duration, control the water pump 51 to turn on.

[0247] In this way, the intermittent start and stop of the water pump 51 can be achieved by setting the start-stop ratio of the water pump 51 during the ice-making process.

[0248] It should be explained that after water pump 51 is turned off, the heat exchange rate between the refrigerant in the first heat exchange tube section 501 and the cold water in the ice-making component 3 will continuously increase over time. Therefore, the duration of water pump 51's shutdown can indirectly represent the magnitude of the heat exchange rate between the refrigerant and the cold water; that is, within a certain period, the longer water pump 51 is turned off, the greater the heat exchange rate. When the heat exchange rate reaches the set value, that is, when the duration of water pump 51's shutdown reaches the preset shutdown duration, since the cooling capacity of the refrigerant in the first heat exchange tube section 501 is exhausted, water pump 51 needs to be turned on again to replenish the first heat exchange tube section 501 with new low-temperature refrigerant.

[0249] In summary, it can be understood that "the water pump 51 shuts down for the preset shut-down time" means that the refrigerant in the first heat exchange tube section 501 and the cold water in the ice-making component 3 have completed heat exchange. Therefore, the preset shut-down time is related to factors such as the temperature of the refrigerant, the temperature of the cold water, the temperature difference between the refrigerant and the cold water, the volume of the first heat exchange tube section 501, and the amount of cold water in the ice-making space 31.

[0250] It should also be explained that after the water pump 51 is turned on, in order to fill the first heat exchange tube section 501 with the new low-temperature refrigerant, a preset start-up time needs to be set. When the water pump 51 is turned on for the preset start-up time, it means that the new low-temperature refrigerant has completely replaced the old refrigerant and filled the first heat exchange tube section 501.

[0251] In summary, it can be understood that "the water pump 51 has reached the preset start time" means that the new low-temperature cold storage agent completely replaces the old cold storage agent and fills the first heat exchange tube section 501. Therefore, the preset start time is related to factors such as the volume of the first heat exchange tube section 501 and the flow rate of the cold storage agent when it enters the first heat exchange tube section 501.

[0252] According to one embodiment of the present invention, before the water pump 51 of the ice-making assembly 2 is intermittently started and stopped, the ice-making control method further includes:

[0253] Step 133: Based on information such as the temperature of the refrigerant, the temperature of the cold water, the temperature difference between the refrigerant and the cold water, the volume of the first heat exchange tube section 501, and the amount of cold water in the ice-making space 31, determine the preset shutdown time.

[0254] Step 134: Determine the preset start-up time based on the volume of the first heat exchange tube section 501 that exchanges heat with the ice-making component 3 and the flow rate of the refrigerant when it enters the first heat exchange tube section 501.

[0255] This allows for precise control of the start and stop times of the water pump 51, avoiding waste of the cooling capacity of the coolant.

[0256] According to one embodiment of the present invention, if the ice-making information includes temperature information, then in the step of controlling the water pump 51 to start and stop intermittently based on the ice-making information: the water pump 51 is controlled to start and stop intermittently based on the temperature information.

[0257] According to one embodiment of the present invention, this embodiment is a specific embodiment of the above-described step of controlling the water pump 51 to start and stop intermittently based on temperature information, wherein the temperature information includes the temperature of the refrigerant in the first heat exchange tube section 501.

[0258] In the step of controlling the water pump 51 to start and stop intermittently based on temperature information:

[0259] Step 141: Based on the fact that the temperature of the refrigerant in the first heat exchange tube section 501 is higher than the first temperature value, control the water pump 51 to start.

[0260] Step 142: Based on the fact that the temperature of the refrigerant in the first heat exchange tube section 501 is lower than the second temperature value, control the water pump 51 to shut down.

[0261] In this embodiment, after the water pump 51 is turned off, due to the heat exchange between the cold storage liquid and the cold water, the temperature of the cold storage liquid in the first heat exchange tube section 501 will continuously increase over time. Therefore, the temperature of the cold storage liquid in the first heat exchange tube section 501 can indirectly represent the heat exchange rate between the cold storage liquid and the cold water. That is, within a certain period of time, the higher the temperature of the cold storage liquid in the first heat exchange tube section 501, the greater the heat exchange rate.

[0262] In step 141, when the temperature of the refrigerant in the first heat exchange tube section 501 is higher than the first temperature value, since the cooling capacity of the refrigerant in the first heat exchange tube section 501 is exhausted, the water pump 51 needs to be restarted to replenish the first heat exchange tube section 501 with new low-temperature refrigerant until the cooling capacity of the refrigerant in the first heat exchange tube section 501 meets the heat exchange requirements (that is, the temperature of the refrigerant is lower than the second temperature value), and then the water pump 51 is turned off again.

[0263] In step 142, when the temperature of the refrigerant in the first heat exchange tube section 501 is lower than the second temperature value, it means that the cooling capacity of the refrigerant has not been completely consumed. Therefore, the water pump 51 needs to be turned off so that the refrigerant remains in the first heat exchange tube section 501 until the cooling capacity of the refrigerant in the first heat exchange tube section 501 is completely consumed (i.e., the temperature of the refrigerant is higher than the first temperature value), and then the water pump 51 is turned on again.

[0264] According to one embodiment of the present invention, this embodiment is another specific embodiment of the above-described step of controlling the water pump 51 to start and stop intermittently based on temperature information. The temperature information includes the heat exchange temperature difference between the temperature of the ice-making component 3 and the temperature of the refrigerant in the first heat exchange tube section 501.

[0265] In the step of controlling the water pump 51 to start and stop intermittently based on temperature information:

[0266] Step 151: Based on the fact that the heat exchange temperature difference is lower than the second temperature difference, control the water pump 51 to start.

[0267] Step 152: Based on the fact that the heat exchange temperature difference is higher than the first temperature difference, control the water pump 51 to shut down.

[0268] In this embodiment, the heat exchange temperature difference can also reflect the heat exchange rate between cold water and the refrigerant. It can be understood that during the process of water pump 51 being turned off, due to the heat exchange between the refrigerant and cold water, the heat exchange temperature difference between the refrigerant and the ice-making component 3 will continuously decrease. When the heat exchange temperature difference is lower than the second temperature difference, it means that the original cold energy of the refrigerant in the first heat exchange tube section 501 has been consumed. At this time, the controller 7 controls the water pump 51 to turn on to replenish the first heat exchange tube section 501 with new low-temperature refrigerant.

[0269] During the process of water pump 51 being turned on, as new low-temperature refrigerant is continuously introduced into the first heat exchange tube section 501, the heat exchange temperature difference between the refrigerant and the ice-making component 3 will continuously increase. When the heat exchange temperature difference is higher than the first temperature difference, it means that the new low-temperature refrigerant introduced into the first heat exchange tube section 501 meets the heat exchange requirements.

[0270] According to one embodiment of the present invention, this embodiment is another specific embodiment of the above-described step of controlling the water pump 51 to start and stop intermittently based on temperature information, wherein the temperature information includes the temperature change rate of the ice-making component 3.

[0271] In the step of controlling the water pump 51 to start and stop intermittently based on temperature information:

[0272] Step 161: Based on the fact that the temperature change rate of the ice-making component 3 is lower than the second change rate, control the water pump 51 to start.

[0273] Step 162: Based on the fact that the temperature change rate of the ice-making component 3 is higher than the first change rate, control the water pump 51 to shut down.

[0274] In this embodiment, the temperature change rate of the ice-making component 3 can also reflect the heat exchange rate between the cold water and the refrigerant. It can be understood that during the process of the water pump 51 being turned off, due to the heat exchange between the refrigerant and the cold water, the temperature difference between the refrigerant and the cold water continuously decreases, so the temperature change rate of the ice-making component 3 will also continuously decrease. When the temperature change rate is lower than the first change rate, it means that the original cold energy of the refrigerant in the first heat exchange tube section 501 has been consumed. At this time, the controller 7 controls the water pump 51 to turn on to replenish the first heat exchange tube section 501 with new low-temperature refrigerant.

[0275] During the process of water pump 51 being turned on, as new low-temperature refrigerant is continuously introduced into the first heat exchange tube section 501, the temperature difference between the refrigerant and the ice-making component 3 will continuously increase, and the temperature change rate of the ice-making component 3 will also continuously increase. When the temperature change rate is higher than the first temperature difference, it means that the new low-temperature refrigerant introduced into the first heat exchange tube section 501 meets the heat exchange requirements.

[0276] It should also be noted that in this embodiment, the start and stop of the water pump 51 can be controlled not only based on the temperature change rate of the ice-making component 3, but also based on the temperature change rate of the first heat exchange tube section 501. The specific working process is similar to that of the above embodiment, and will not be repeated here.

[0277] According to one embodiment of the present invention, in the step of controlling the water pump 51 to start and stop intermittently based on the ice-making information of the ice-making component 2: the water pump 51 is controlled to start intermittently based on the duration information and temperature information.

[0278] In one embodiment of the present invention, this embodiment is a specific embodiment of the above-mentioned step of controlling the water pump 51 to start and stop intermittently based on duration information and temperature information, wherein the temperature information includes the temperature of the refrigerant in the first heat exchange tube section 501, and the duration information includes the start duration of the water pump 51.

[0279] In the step of intermittently starting and stopping the water pump 51 of the ice-making component 2 based on duration and temperature information:

[0280] Step 141: Based on the fact that the temperature of the refrigerant in the first heat exchange tube section 501 is higher than the first temperature value, control the water pump 51 to start.

[0281] Step 143: Based on the fact that the water pump 51 has been turned on for a first preset time, control the water pump 51 to turn off.

[0282] In this embodiment, the logic of the controller 7 controlling the start and stop of the water pump 51 is as follows: Since the cooling capacity of the refrigerant in the first heat exchange tube section 501 has been exhausted, the water pump 51 needs to be restarted to replenish the first heat exchange tube section 501 with new low-temperature refrigerant until the first heat exchange tube section 501 is full of new low-temperature refrigerant (that is, the water pump 51 is turned on for a first preset time). Then the water pump 51 is turned off again so that the new low-temperature refrigerant stays in the first heat exchange tube section 501 to continue cooling.

[0283] It should be explained that in the embodiment including steps 141 and 142, the criterion for controlling the water pump 51 to shut down again after starting is whether the cooling capacity in the first heat exchange tube section 501 meets the heat exchange requirements, thus ensuring the full utilization of the cold storage liquid's cooling capacity. In the embodiment including steps 141 and 143, the criterion for controlling the water pump 51 to shut down again after starting is whether the first heat exchange tube section 501 is filled with new low-temperature cold storage agent, thus ensuring the utilization rate of the cold storage liquid's cooling capacity while improving the ice-making efficiency of the ice-making component 3. Therefore, although both embodiments described above can achieve the purpose of intermittently controlling the water pump 51 to start and stop, their execution logic is different, and therefore their respective effects are also different.

[0284] It should also be noted that step 141 in this embodiment can be replaced by step 151 or step 161 in the above embodiments, and the control logic of the replaced embodiment is similar to the control logic of the embodiment containing steps 141 and 143, which will not be repeated here.

[0285] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the ice-making assembly 2 further includes a refrigeration circuit 6, which includes a refrigeration evaporator 63 and an ice-making evaporator 64 connected in parallel, the ice-making evaporator 64 being adapted to refrigerate the ice-making circuit 5.

[0286] The ice-making control method for ice-making component 2 also includes:

[0287] Step 170: Based on the ice-making information, control the water pump 51 corresponding to the ice evaporator 64 to start and stop intermittently.

[0288] In this way, by controlling the intermittent start and stop of the ice evaporator 64, the energy consumption of the ice evaporator 64 can be saved, thereby extending the service life of the ice evaporator 64.

[0289] According to one embodiment of the present invention, in the step of intermittently starting and stopping the water pump 51 corresponding to the ice-making evaporator 64:

[0290] Step 171: Control the ice evaporator 64 to start or stop synchronously with the water pump 51, or control the ice evaporator 64 to start or stop before the water pump 51.

[0291] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the ice-making control method of the ice-making component 2 further includes:

[0292] Step 180: Determine that the temperature of the ice-making component 3 has reached the de-icing temperature, and control the heating component of the ice-making assembly 2 to heat and de-ice the ice-making component 3.

[0293] In the step of controlling the heating element of the ice-making component 2 to heat and de-ice the ice-making component 3 based on the temperature of the ice-making component 3 reaching the de-icing temperature:

[0294] Step 181: Determine that the temperature of the ice-making component 3 has reached the de-icing temperature, and control the water pump 51 to reverse so as to extract the refrigerant in the first heat exchange tube section 501.

[0295] Step 182: After confirming that the refrigerant in the first heat exchange tube section 501 has been completely extracted, control the heating component to heat and de-ice the ice-making component 3.

[0296] In this way, by controlling the water pump 51 to reverse before heating and de-icing the ice-making component 3, the cold storage liquid in the first heat exchange tube section 501 is completely pumped out, thereby avoiding the coldness of the cold storage liquid from adversely affecting the heating process and ensuring the de-icing effect of the ice-making component 3.

[0297] like Figure 14 As shown, Embodiment 1 of the present invention also protects an ice-making control device for an ice-making component 2, comprising: a first control module 930 for controlling the start of the ice-making circuit 5 of the ice-making component 2; and a second control module 940 for controlling the water pump 51 to start and stop intermittently based on ice-making information.

[0298] The following is for reference. Figure 12 The ice-making component 2 of the present invention is described in a method for controlling ice making. It should be noted that when the ice-making component 3 enters different working states such as freezing state, de-icing state or defrosting state, the refrigerant in the first heat exchange tube section 501 can be controlled to continue to circulate or be completely extracted based on the ice-making control method described in this embodiment.

[0299] Before introducing the ice-making control method of the ice-making component 2 in this embodiment, it should be noted that the ice-making component 2 used to implement this method needs to meet the following structural conditions: a liquid inlet 504 and an air inlet 503 are formed between the liquid storage tank 52 and the first heat exchange tube section 501, and the liquid inlet 504 and the air inlet 503 are respectively selectively fluid-connected to the first heat exchange tube section 501. In this method, the controller 7 can control the opening and closing of the liquid inlet 504 and the air inlet 503 with the first heat exchange tube section 501 based on the working state of the ice-making component 3, thereby realizing the continued flow of the refrigerant in the first heat exchange tube section 501 or its complete extraction.

[0300] like Figure 12 As shown, the ice-making control method according to an embodiment of the present invention includes steps 110 and 120.

[0301] Step 210: Determine that the ice-making component 3 has entered the freezing state, control the liquid inlet 504 to connect with the first heat exchange tube section 501, and control the air inlet 503 to disconnect from the first heat exchange tube section 501.

[0302] Step 220: Determine whether the ice-making component 3 has entered the de-icing state or the defrosting state, control the liquid inlet 504 to disconnect from the first heat exchange tube section 501, and control the air inlet 503 to connect with the first heat exchange tube section 501.

[0303] According to the ice-making control method of the present invention, when the ice-making component 3 enters the de-icing state or defrosting state, the refrigerant in the first heat exchange tube section 501 is drawn into the liquid storage tank 52, thereby ensuring the normal progress of the heating process and avoiding the phenomenon that the ice-making component 3 is simultaneously heated and cooled, thereby reducing the system energy consumption during the de-icing and defrosting process, and the de-icing effect and defrosting effect are also better; in addition, the water pump 51 does not need to be a bidirectional pump, and the refrigeration component does not need to control the forward and reverse rotation of the water pump 51, so the control steps of this method are simple and easy to operate.

[0304] The specific flow process of the cold storage agent in steps 210 and 220 has been described in detail above and will not be repeated here.

[0305] According to an embodiment of the present invention, in step 220 above: after it is determined that the ice-making component 3 has entered the de-icing state or the defrosting state, it is necessary to extract the refrigerant in the first heat exchange tube section 501 and to turn on the heating element to heat the ice-making component 3.

[0306] In this invention, there is no particular limitation on the order of extracting the refrigerant and turning on the heating element. For example, to avoid the heating heat of the heating element being affected by the coldness of the refrigerant, the controller 7 can first extract the refrigerant in the first heat exchange tube section 501, and then turn on the heating element to heat the ice-making component 3; or, the controller 7 can first control the heating element to turn on, and then extract the refrigerant in the first heat exchange tube section 501; or, the controller 7 can also start extracting the refrigerant at the same time as turning on the heating element, that is, at the same time as turning on the heating element, the controller 7 controls the liquid inlet 504 to disconnect from the first heat exchange tube section 501, and controls the air inlet 503 to connect to the first heat exchange tube section 501. In this case, the refrigerant extraction process and the heating process of the heating element are carried out simultaneously.

[0307] In one embodiment of the present invention, the ice-making control method further includes steps 130 and 140.

[0308] Step 230: Determine whether the ice-making component 3 has entered the de-icing state or the defrosting state, and obtain the cold storage dose in the first heat exchange tube section 501.

[0309] Step 240: Determine that the cold storage dose in the first heat exchange tube section 501 is lower than the set cold storage dose, and control the heating component to heat the ice-making space 31 to achieve de-icing.

[0310] In this embodiment, the controller 7 first activates the refrigerant in the first heat exchange tube section 501, and then turns on the heating element to heat the ice-making component 3. That is, the controller 7 first controls the liquid inlet 504 to disconnect from the first heat exchange tube section 501 and controls the air inlet 503 to connect with the first heat exchange tube section 501, and then the controller 7 controls the heating element to turn on.

[0311] The controller 7 only activates the heating element and starts heating when the amount of cold stored in the first heat exchange tube section 501 meets certain conditions. Specifically, the controller 7 activates the heating element only when the amount of cold stored in the first heat exchange tube section 501 is lower than the set amount of cold stored. The condition "the amount of cold stored in the first heat exchange tube section 501 is lower than the set amount of cold stored" includes not only the case where the cold stored in the first heat exchange tube section 501 is completely extracted, but also the case where the amount of cold stored in the first heat exchange tube section 501 is less than the set amount of cold stored but not zero.

[0312] It is understandable that when the amount of cold storage in the first heat exchange tube section 501 is lower than the set amount of cold storage, the adverse effects of the cold storage on the heating process of the heating component will be minimized, thereby further improving the de-icing efficiency and defrosting efficiency of the ice-making component 3, and the de-icing effect and defrosting effect are also better.

[0313] It should be noted that the above-mentioned cold storage dose setting can be set by the system default or by the user. This invention does not impose specific limitations on the value of the cold storage dose setting or the source of the setting.

[0314] According to one embodiment of the present invention, in the step of obtaining the cold storage dose in the first heat exchange tube section 501:

[0315] Step 231: Based on the detection results of the liquid level sensor 57, pressure sensor, weight sensor or flow sensor, obtain the cold storage dose in the first heat exchange tube section 501.

[0316] In one embodiment of the present invention, a liquid level sensor 57, a pressure sensor, a weight sensor or a flow sensor may be provided at a corresponding position in the liquid storage tank 52. Then, in the step of obtaining the cold storage dose in the first heat exchange tube section 501: the cold storage dose in the first heat exchange tube section 501 is obtained based on the detection results of the liquid level sensor 57, the pressure sensor, the weight sensor or the flow sensor in the liquid storage tank 52.

[0317] In this embodiment, since all the aforementioned sensors (i.e., level sensor 57, pressure sensor, weight sensor, or flow sensor) are located at corresponding positions in the storage tank 52, the controller 7 can detect changes in the total amount of refrigerant in the storage tank 52 based on these sensors, thereby indirectly obtaining the amount of refrigerant stored in the first heat exchange tube section 501. The specific working principle of this embodiment has been described in detail above and will not be repeated here.

[0318] In another embodiment of the present invention, a liquid level sensor 57, a pressure sensor, a weight sensor, or a flow sensor may be provided in the first heat exchange tube section 501. Then, in the step of obtaining the cold storage dose in the first heat exchange tube section 501:

[0319] Step 232: Based on the detection results of the liquid level sensor 57, pressure sensor, weight sensor or flow sensor in the first heat exchange tube section 501, obtain the cold storage dose in the first heat exchange tube section 501.

[0320] In this embodiment, since all the aforementioned sensors (i.e., level sensor 57, pressure sensor, weight sensor, or flow sensor) are located at corresponding positions in the first heat exchange tube section 501, the controller 7 can directly detect changes in the cold storage charge in the first heat exchange tube section 501 based on these sensors. The specific working principle of this embodiment is similar to that of the embodiment where the sensors are located in the liquid storage tank 52, and will not be repeated here.

[0321] like Figure 14 As shown, Embodiment 2 of the present invention also proposes an ice-making control component for an ice-making assembly 2, including a first control module 930 and a second control module 940.

[0322] The first control module 930 is used to determine that the ice-making component 3 has entered the freezing state, control the liquid inlet 504 to connect with the first heat exchange tube section 501, and control the air inlet 503 to disconnect from the first heat exchange tube section 501.

[0323] The second control module 940 is used to determine whether the ice-making component 3 enters the de-icing state or the defrosting state, control the liquid inlet 504 to disconnect from the first heat exchange tube section 501, and control the air inlet 503 to connect with the first heat exchange tube section 501.

[0324] The following is for reference. Figure 13 The ice-making component 2 of the present invention describes an ice-making control method. It should be noted that when the ice-making component 3 enters different working states such as freezing state, de-icing state or defrosting state, the refrigerant in the ice-making circuit 5 can be controlled to cool the ice-making component 3 or the ice storage component 4 based on the ice-making control method described in this embodiment.

[0325] Before introducing the ice-making control method of the ice-making component 2 in this embodiment, it should be noted that the ice-making component 2 used to implement this method needs to meet the following structural conditions: the ice-making circuit 5 also includes a first pipe 54 for cooling the ice-making component 3, a second pipe 55 for cooling the ice storage component 4, and a third pipe 56. The first pipe 54 and the second pipe 55 are connected in parallel, and both the first pipe 54 and the second pipe 55 are connected to the third pipe 56. The first pipe 54 and the third pipe 56 can be selectively fluid connected. In this method, the controller 7 can control the on / off state of the first pipe 54 and the third pipe 56 based on the working state of the ice-making component 3, thereby realizing whether the refrigerant cools the ice-making component 3.

[0326] like Figure 13 As shown, the ice-making control method according to an embodiment of the present invention includes steps 210 and 220.

[0327] Step 310: Determine that the ice-making component 3 has entered the freezing state, and control the connection between the first pipe 54 and the third pipe 56.

[0328] Step 320: Determine whether the ice-making component 3 has entered the de-icing state or the defrosting state, and control the first pipeline 54 and the third pipeline 56 to disconnect.

[0329] In step 310, when the ice-making component 3 enters the freezing state, the first pipe 54 and the third pipe 56 are connected. Therefore, the refrigerant can simultaneously cool the ice-making component 3 and the ice-storage component 4, thereby ensuring both the ice-making effect of the ice-making component 3 and the refrigeration effect of the ice-storage component 4.

[0330] In step 320, when the ice-making component 3 enters the de-icing or defrosting state, to prevent the refrigerant from affecting the heating process during de-icing and defrosting, the first pipe 54 and the third pipe 56 can be disconnected. At this time, the refrigerant in the third pipe 56 only enters the second pipe 55, meaning the refrigerant only cools the ice storage component 4. This avoids mutual consumption of the refrigerant's cooling capacity and the heat generated during the heating process, reducing the overall energy consumption of the refrigeration equipment and ensuring the de-icing and defrosting effects. Furthermore, it simultaneously allows for the refrigeration of the ice blocks in the ice storage component 4, thus ensuring the quality of the ice blocks.

[0331] The specific flow process of the refrigerant in steps 310 and 320 has been described in detail above and will not be repeated here.

[0332] In summary, according to the ice-making control method of the present invention, by controlling the on / off state of the first pipe 54 and the third pipe 56, not only can the ice-making component 3 and the ice storage component 4 be cooled simultaneously, but the connection between the first pipe 54 and the third pipe 56 can also be disconnected during the defrosting and de-icing process, thereby avoiding the cold energy of the refrigerant from adversely affecting the heating process during defrosting and de-icing, reducing system energy consumption, and without affecting the cooling process of the ice storage component 4.

[0333] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the ice-making control method further includes steps 230 and 240. Within the ice-making assembly 2, the second pipe 55 and the third pipe 56 are optionally in fluid communication.

[0334] Step 330: Confirm that the ice storage space contains ice blocks, and control the connection between the second pipe 55 and the third pipe 56.

[0335] Step 340: After confirming that the ice storage space does not contain ice, disconnect the second pipe 55 and the third pipe 56.

[0336] In this embodiment, the controller 7 can control the connection and disconnection between the second pipe 55 and the third pipe 56 based on the ice storage status within the ice storage space. The ice storage status includes an ice-free state (no ice stored in the ice storage space) and an ice-containing state (ice stored in the ice storage space).

[0337] In step 330, when the controller 7 detects that there is ice in the ice storage space (i.e., there is ice), it controls the second pipe 55 and the third pipe 56 to connect so that the refrigerant cools the ice storage component 4, thereby ensuring the refrigeration of the ice.

[0338] In step 340, when the controller 7 detects that there is no ice in the ice storage space (i.e., no ice state), since the refrigerant does not need to cool the ice storage component 4 at this time, the controller 7 controls the second pipe 55 and the third pipe 56 to disconnect, so as to avoid the refrigerant's cooling capacity from doing useless work, thereby reducing system energy consumption and making it more intelligent.

[0339] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the ice storage state also includes a full ice state in which the ice storage component 4 is filled with ice blocks, and the ice making control method further includes step 350.

[0340] Step 350: Determine that the ice storage space is full of ice, control the second pipe 55 and the third pipe 56 to connect, and control the first pipe 54 and the third pipe 56 to disconnect.

[0341] In this embodiment, if the ice storage space is full, no new ice can be stored in it. If the ice-making component 3 is activated to make ice, the newly made ice will fall outside the ice storage space, thus preventing it from being refrigerated. Therefore, when the controller 7 detects that the ice storage space is full, it controls the first pipe 54 and the third pipe 56 to disconnect, thereby stopping the refrigerant from supplying cooling to the ice-making component 3 and interrupting the ice-making process of the ice-making component 3, thus preventing the ice-making component 3 from making new ice.

[0342] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the ice-making control method further includes steps 360, 370, 380 and 390.

[0343] Step 360: Determine that the ice-making component 3 has entered the freezing state, and determine that the ice storage component 4 is in an ice-containing state or a full ice state, and control the first pipeline 54 and the second pipeline 55 to be connected to the third pipeline 56.

[0344] In step 360, the refrigerant simultaneously cools both the ice-making component 3 and the ice-storing component 4.

[0345] Step 370: Determine that the ice-making component 3 has entered the de-icing state or the defrosting state, and determine that the ice storage component 4 is in the ice-containing state or the full ice state. Control the first pipeline 54 to disconnect from the third pipeline 56, and control the second pipeline 55 to connect with the third pipeline 56.

[0346] In step 370, the refrigerant cools only the ice storage component 4.

[0347] Step 380: Determine that the ice-making component 3 has entered the freezing state and that the ice storage component 4 is in the ice-free state. Control the first pipeline 54 to connect with the third pipeline 56 and control the second pipeline 55 to disconnect from the third pipeline 56.

[0348] In step 380, the refrigerant cools only the ice-making component 3, thereby maximizing the ice-making speed.

[0349] Step 390: Determine that the ice-making component 3 has entered the de-icing state or the defrosting state, and determine that the ice storage component 4 is in the ice-free state, and control the first pipeline 54 and the second pipeline 55 to disconnect from the third pipeline 56.

[0350] In step 390, the refrigerant does not cool either the ice-making component 3 or the ice-storing component 4, which can greatly reduce the system's energy consumption.

[0351] like Figure 14 As shown, the ice-making control device according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention includes: a first control module 930, used to determine that the ice-making component 3 enters the freezing state and control the first pipeline 54 and the third pipeline 56 to be connected; and a second control module 940, used to determine that the ice-making component 3 enters the de-icing state or the defrosting state and control the first pipeline 54 and the third pipeline 56 to be disconnected.

[0352] It should also be noted that in the ice-making control method of Embodiment 3 of the present invention, if the controller 7 determines that the ice-making component 3 has entered the de-icing state or the defrosting state, the controller 7 can, before controlling the first pipeline 54 and the second pipeline 55 to disconnect, also extract the refrigerant in the first heat exchange tube section 501 into the liquid storage tank 52 in advance, based on step 220 in the ice-making control method of Embodiment 2 of the present invention, and then control the first pipeline 54 and the second pipeline 55 to disconnect. In this way, not only is the continued supply of cold energy to the ice-making component 3 cut off, but the refrigerant in the first heat exchange tube section 501 in the ice-making component 3 is also completely extracted, thereby further ensuring the de-icing effect and the defrosting effect of the ice-making component 3.

[0353] Furthermore, in the ice-making control methods of Embodiments 2 and 3 of the present invention, when the ice-making component 3 enters the freezing state, the water pump 51 can be controlled to start and stop intermittently based on the ice-making control method of Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0354] Figure 15 An example is a schematic diagram of the physical structure of an electronic device, such as... Figure 15As shown, the electronic device may include a processor 810, a communication interface 820, a memory 830, and a communication bus 840, wherein the processor 810, the communication interface 820, and the memory 830 communicate with each other through the communication bus 840. The processor 810 can call logical instructions in the memory 830 to execute the ice-making control method of Embodiment 1, Embodiment 2, or Embodiment 3 described above.

[0355] Furthermore, the logical instructions in the aforementioned memory 830 can be implemented as software functional units and, when sold or used as independent products, can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the present invention, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or a part of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods of the various embodiments of the present invention. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0356] Furthermore, this invention discloses a computer program product, which includes a computer program stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. The computer program includes program instructions, and when the program instructions are executed by a computer, the computer can execute the methods provided in the above-described method embodiments, such as the ice-making control methods of Embodiment 1, Embodiment 2, or Embodiment 3 above.

[0357] On the other hand, embodiments of the present invention also provide a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program thereon, which, when executed by a processor, is implemented to perform the transmission methods provided in the above embodiments, such as the ice-making control methods of Embodiment 1, Embodiment 2 or Embodiment 3 above.

[0358] The device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate, and the components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the modules can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs. Those skilled in the art can understand and implement this without any creative effort.

[0359] Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that each embodiment can be implemented by means of software plus necessary general-purpose hardware platforms, and of course, it can also be implemented by hardware. Based on this understanding, the above technical solutions, in essence or the part that contributes to the prior art, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, such as ROM / RAM, magnetic disk, optical disk, etc., including several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute the methods of various embodiments or some parts of embodiments.

[0360] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. An ice-making component, characterized in that, include: Ice-making components form an ice-making space; An ice-making circuit includes a first heat exchange tube section, which is adapted to exchange heat with the ice-making space. The outlet of the first heat exchange tube section is located at the highest point of the first heat exchange tube section, the inlet of the first heat exchange tube section is located at the lowest point of the first heat exchange tube section, and the top wall of the first heat exchange tube section gradually slopes upward from its inlet toward its outlet. The ice-making circuit also includes a water pump and a liquid storage tank that are interconnected. A liquid inlet and an air inlet are formed between the liquid storage tank and the first heat exchange tube section. The liquid inlet and the air inlet are selectively fluidly connected to the first heat exchange tube section.

2. The ice-making assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The liquid storage tank has a liquid outlet and a gas outlet. The liquid outlet is located at the lower end of the liquid storage tank, and the gas outlet is located at the upper end of the liquid storage tank. The liquid inlet is connected to the liquid outlet. Both the air outlet and the air inlet are in pressure equilibrium with the outside environment, or the air outlet and the air inlet are in pressure equilibrium with each other.

3. The ice-making assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: The controller is adapted to control the liquid inlet to connect with the first heat exchange tube section and control the air inlet to disconnect from the first heat exchange tube section according to the ice-making component entering the freezing state; and the controller is also adapted to control the liquid inlet to disconnect from the first heat exchange tube section and control the air inlet to connect with the first heat exchange tube section according to the ice-making component entering the de-icing state or the defrosting state.

4. The ice-making assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ice-making circuit also includes: The three-way valve has a valve outlet, a first valve inlet, and a second valve inlet. The valve outlet is connected to the first heat exchange tube section, the first valve inlet forms the air inlet, and the second valve inlet forms the liquid inlet.

5. The ice-making assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ice-making circuit also includes: A first check valve and a second check valve, wherein the outlet of the first check valve is connected to the first heat exchange tube section, the inlet of the first check valve forms the air inlet, the outlet of the second check valve is connected to the first heat exchange tube section, and the inlet of the second check valve forms the liquid inlet.

6. The ice-making assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The liquid storage tank is equipped with a liquid level sensor; or, the bottom of the liquid storage tank is equipped with a pressure sensor or a weight sensor; or, the inlet of the liquid storage tank is equipped with a flow sensor.

7. The ice-making assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, At least one of the sidewall and bottom wall of the ice-making component includes the first heat exchange tube section.

8. The ice-making assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, Also includes: Ice storage components form an ice storage space; Heating components are adapted to heat and de-ice the ice-making space; The ice-making circuit also includes a refrigeration component adapted to cool the refrigerant within the ice-making circuit.

9. The ice-making assembly according to claim 8, characterized in that, The ice-making circuit further includes a first pipeline, a second pipeline and a third pipeline. The first pipeline includes a first heat exchange pipe section, and the second pipeline includes a second heat exchange pipe section and is adapted to cool the ice storage space. The first pipeline and the second pipeline are connected in parallel and both are connected to the third pipeline, and the first pipeline and the third pipeline are optionally in fluid communication.

10. An ice-making control method based on the ice-making assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, include: Once the ice-making component is determined to be in a freezing state, the liquid inlet is connected to the first heat exchange tube section, and the air inlet is disconnected from the first heat exchange tube section. Once the ice-making component is determined to be in a defrosting or de-icing state, the liquid inlet is disconnected from the first heat exchange tube section, and the air inlet is connected to the first heat exchange tube section.

11. The ice-making control method for the ice-making assembly according to claim 10, characterized in that, The ice-making assembly includes a heating component adapted to heat and de-ice the ice-making space, and further includes: Determine whether the ice-making component enters the de-icing or defrosting state, and obtain the cold storage dose in the first heat exchange tube section; If the cold storage dose in the first heat exchange tube section is determined to be lower than the set cold storage dose, the heating component is controlled to heat the ice-making space to achieve de-icing.

12. The ice-making control method for the ice-making assembly according to claim 11, characterized in that, In the step of obtaining the cold storage dose in the first heat exchange tube section: Based on the detection results of the level sensor, pressure sensor, weight sensor or flow sensor, the cold storage dose in the first heat exchange tube section is obtained.

13. An ice-making control device based on the ice-making assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, include: The first control module is used to determine that the ice-making component enters the freezing state, control the liquid inlet to connect with the first heat exchange tube section, and control the air inlet to disconnect from the first heat exchange tube section. The second control module is used to determine whether the ice-making component enters the de-icing state or the defrosting state, control the liquid inlet to disconnect from the first heat exchange tube section, and control the air inlet to connect with the first heat exchange tube section.

14. A refrigeration device, characterized in that, include: The ice-making assembly as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

15. An electronic device comprising a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, characterized in that, When the processor executes the program, it implements the steps of the ice-making control method for the ice-making assembly as described in any one of claims 10 to 12.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, characterized in that, When executed by a processor, the computer program implements the steps of the ice-making control method of the ice-making assembly as described in any one of claims 10 to 12.

17. A computer program product, comprising a computer program, characterized in that, When the computer program is executed by the processor, it implements the steps of the ice-making control method of the ice-making assembly as described in any one of claims 10 to 12.

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