Mechanical air-cooled refrigerator and control method thereof

Abstract

The present application relates to a mechanical air-cooled refrigerator and a control method thereof, the mechanical air-cooled refrigerator comprising a refrigeration chamber and a freezing chamber for storing articles. The control method comprises: acquiring an ambient temperature of an ambient space where the mechanical air-cooled refrigerator is located when a compressor and a fan of the mechanical air-cooled refrigerator are in a normal operation state; in the normal operation state, the compressor and the fan operate respectively according to a set rotating speed and a set duty cycle; and when the ambient temperature is less than or equal to a first preset temperature, and a measured temperature in the refrigeration chamber is less than or equal to a preset shutdown point temperature, the compressor and the fan continue to operate respectively at a target rotating speed lower than the set rotating speed and a target duty cycle lower than the set duty cycle. The present application delays the time of compressor shutdown when the compressor and the fan are in normal operation and the ambient temperature is low, and prolongs the operating time of the compressor, thereby effectively avoiding the problem of high freezing temperature when the ambient temperature is low.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to refrigeration and freezing technology, and in particular to a mechanical air-cooled refrigerator and its control method. Background Technology

[0002] Existing temperature-controlled mechanical air-cooled refrigerators typically include a refrigerator compartment, a freezer compartment, an evaporator, a fan, an air duct assembly, and a compressor. When the refrigerator compressor runs, the fan operates, carrying the cold air from the evaporator to the refrigerator and freezer compartments to achieve a cooling effect. The cooling principle of this type of refrigerator is as follows: the refrigerator control module controls the compressor's operation by sensing the actual temperature of the refrigerator compartment through a temperature sensor; when the refrigerator compartment temperature rises to the compressor's start-up temperature, the compressor starts and the fan runs; when the refrigerator compartment temperature drops to the compressor's stop-down temperature, the compressor stops and the fan stops running.

[0003] In winter, the temperature difference between the outside environment and the refrigerator compartment in a mechanically cooled refrigerator is very small, or even lower than the required temperature of the refrigerator compartment. In this situation, the refrigerator compressor only runs for a short time before the refrigerator compartment reaches its shut-off temperature, or even no cooling is required at all, as the outside temperature is sufficient. Because the compressor runs for such a short time or even no cooling is required, the temperature in the freezer compartment is only slightly lower than, or even the same as, the refrigerator temperature. This prevents the proper storage of food that needs to be frozen in winter, affecting normal user experience.

[0004] To address the aforementioned technical problems, existing technologies typically add a compensating heater to the refrigerator compartment. This heater heats the refrigerator compartment when the ambient temperature is low, increasing the compressor's operating rate and ensuring a lower temperature in the freezer compartment. However, this compensating heater introduces additional heat input to the refrigerator, increasing both its cost and energy consumption. Other existing technologies improve compressor operating rates at low ambient temperatures by altering the refrigerator's refrigeration system structure. However, this requires significant structural modifications to the refrigeration system, necessitating redesign and reconfiguration, and remains costly. Summary of the Invention

[0005] One object of the present invention is to overcome at least one deficiency of the prior art and to provide a control method for a mechanical air-cooled refrigerator that can effectively extend the compressor's operating time at a lower cost.

[0006] A further objective of the first aspect of the invention is to avoid excessively low temperatures within the refrigerator compartment.

[0007] The second aspect of the present invention is to provide a mechanically cooled refrigerator that can effectively extend the running time after the compressor starts.

[0008] According to a first aspect of the present invention, the present invention provides a control method for a mechanically cooled refrigerator, the mechanically cooled refrigerator including a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment for storing items, the control method comprising:

[0009] The ambient temperature of the space where the mechanical air-cooled refrigerator is located is acquired when the compressor and fan of the mechanical air-cooled refrigerator are in normal operating condition; under normal operating condition, the compressor and the fan operate at a set speed and a set duty cycle, respectively; and

[0010] When the ambient temperature is less than or equal to the first preset temperature and the measured temperature inside the refrigerator is less than or equal to the preset shutdown point temperature, the compressor and the fan are controlled to continue operating at a target speed lower than the set speed and a target duty cycle lower than the set duty cycle, respectively.

[0011] Optionally, after controlling the compressor and the fan to continue operating at target speeds lower than the set rotational speed and target duty cycles lower than the set duty cycle, respectively, the control method further includes:

[0012] Obtain the temperature drop of the evaporator of the mechanically cooled refrigerator after the compressor and the fan have been running at the target speed and the target duty cycle, respectively; and

[0013] The compressor and the fan are selectively stopped based on the temperature drop value.

[0014] Optionally, the step of obtaining the temperature drop value of the evaporator of the mechanically cooled refrigerator after the compressor and the fan are running at the target speed and the target duty cycle, respectively, includes:

[0015] The defrost sensor of the mechanical air-cooled refrigerator acquires the first evaporator temperature detected by the compressor and the fan at the initial operation of the compressor and the fan at the target speed and the target duty cycle, respectively, and the second evaporator temperature currently detected by the defrost sensor; and

[0016] Calculate the difference between the temperature of the first evaporator and the temperature of the second evaporator, and use the difference as the temperature drop of the evaporator.

[0017] Optionally, the step of selectively stopping the compressor and the fan based on the temperature drop includes:

[0018] When the temperature drop of the evaporator reaches a target temperature drop value that matches the ambient temperature, the compressor and the fan are stopped; wherein...

[0019] The target temperature reduction is inversely correlated with the ambient temperature.

[0020] Optionally, when the ambient temperature is less than or equal to the first preset temperature and greater than the second preset temperature, the target temperature reduction value that matches it is the first temperature reduction value.

[0021] When the ambient temperature is less than or equal to the second preset temperature, the corresponding target temperature reduction value is the second temperature reduction value; wherein

[0022] The first preset temperature is greater than the second preset temperature, and the first temperature decrease is less than the second temperature decrease.

[0023] Optionally, the target duty cycle of the fan is set such that the cooling capacity driven by the fan and flowing into the refrigerator compartment is less than or equal to the heat input into the refrigerator compartment.

[0024] Optionally, the target speed of the compressor is the minimum speed of the compressor; and / or

[0025] The target duty cycle of the wind turbine is less than or equal to 40%.

[0026] Optionally, when the ambient temperature is less than or equal to the first preset temperature and greater than the second preset temperature, the target duty cycle of the fan is the first duty cycle;

[0027] When the ambient temperature is less than or equal to the second preset temperature, the target duty cycle of the fan is the second duty cycle; wherein

[0028] The first duty cycle is greater than or equal to the second duty cycle.

[0029] Optionally, when the measured temperature inside the refrigerator compartment is higher than its preset start-up temperature, the compressor and fan of the mechanical air-cooled refrigerator are controlled to start and operate at the set speed and the set duty cycle, respectively.

[0030] According to a second aspect of the present invention, the present invention also provides a mechanically cooled refrigerator, comprising a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment for storing items, and further comprising:

[0031] An ambient temperature detection device is used to detect the ambient temperature of the space where the mechanical air-cooled refrigerator is located; a refrigerator temperature detection device is used to detect the measured temperature inside the refrigerator compartment; and

[0032] A control device includes a processor and a memory, the memory storing a machine-executable program, and the machine-executable program being executed by the processor to implement the control method described in any of the above schemes.

[0033] The mechanical air-cooled refrigerator of this invention acquires the ambient temperature of the space where the refrigerator is located when the compressor and fan are operating normally. Then, when the ambient temperature is low and the measured temperature inside the refrigerator compartment is less than or equal to the preset shutdown temperature, this invention does not immediately stop the compressor and fan as in existing technologies. Instead, it controls the compressor to continue running at a low speed and the fan to continue running at a low duty cycle, delaying the compressor's shutdown time and extending its operating time. This ensures that the freezer compartment has sufficient cooling capacity to maintain a low temperature, effectively avoiding the problem of insufficient freezing temperature affecting user experience when the ambient temperature is low. Furthermore, this invention does not require any changes to the structure of the mechanical air-cooled refrigerator and does not increase costs.

[0034] Furthermore, while the compressor and fan continue to operate, the compressor operates at a low speed, resulting in less cooling output from the evaporator. The fan's target duty cycle is specifically set so that the cooling output driven by the fan and flowing into the refrigerator compartment is less than or equal to the heat input into the refrigerator compartment, ensuring that the temperature inside the refrigerator compartment continues to rise slowly or remains essentially constant. In other words, the fan's target duty cycle is small enough that most of the cooling airflow driven by the fan flows into the freezer compartment, which is closer to the fan, while very little or no cooling airflow flows into the refrigerator compartment, which is farther from the fan. This prevents the temperature inside the refrigerator compartment from continuing to drop even when both the compressor and fan are running, effectively lowering the temperature in the freezer compartment while preventing the food from freezing due to excessively low temperatures in the refrigerator compartment.

[0035] The above and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0036] The following sections will describe some specific embodiments of the invention in detail by way of example and not limitation, with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals in the drawings denote the same or similar parts or portions. Those skilled in the art should understand that these drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. In the drawings:

[0037] Figure 1 This is a schematic flowchart of a control method for a mechanically cooled refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 2 This is a schematic flowchart of a control method for a mechanically cooled refrigerator according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 3 This is a schematic flowchart of obtaining the temperature drop value of the evaporator of a mechanically air-cooled refrigerator after the compressor and fan are running at target speed and target duty cycle, respectively, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] Figure 4 This is a schematic flowchart of a control method for a mechanically cooled refrigerator according to yet another embodiment of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 5 This is a schematic structural block diagram of a mechanically cooled refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0042] This invention first provides a control method for a mechanically cooled air-cooled refrigerator, which includes a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment for storing items. The control method for this mechanically cooled air-cooled refrigerator includes:

[0043] The ambient temperature of the space surrounding the mechanically cooled air-cooled refrigerator is obtained when the compressor and fan are in normal operating condition; under normal operating condition, the compressor and fan operate at set speeds and set duty cycles, respectively; and

[0044] When the ambient temperature is less than or equal to the first preset temperature and the measured temperature inside the refrigerator is less than or equal to the preset shutdown point temperature, the compressor and fan are controlled to continue running at a target speed lower than the set speed and a target duty cycle lower than the set duty cycle, respectively.

[0045] Specifically, the refrigerator compartment can have multiple different temperature settings, each temperature setting corresponding to a set compressor speed and a set fan duty cycle. That is, different temperature settings in the refrigerator compartment correspond to different set compressor speeds and different set fan duty cycles. The control methods of this invention are all based on the refrigerator compartment being at the same temperature setting.

[0046] When the compressor and fan are operating normally, cold energy is continuously input into the refrigerator compartment, and the measured temperature inside the refrigerator compartment gradually decreases. The mechanical air-cooled refrigerator of this invention acquires the ambient temperature of the space in which the refrigerator is located when the compressor and fan are operating normally. When the ambient temperature is low and the measured temperature inside the refrigerator compartment is less than or equal to the preset shutdown point temperature, this invention does not immediately stop the compressor and fan as in existing technologies. Instead, it controls the compressor to continue running at a low speed and the fan to continue running at a low duty cycle, delaying the compressor's shutdown time and extending its operating time. This ensures that the freezer compartment has sufficient cold energy input to maintain a low temperature, effectively avoiding the problem of the freezing temperature not reaching the required freezing temperature when the ambient temperature is low, thus affecting user experience.

[0047] Furthermore, this invention requires no changes to the structure of a mechanically cooled refrigerator and does not increase costs. Additionally, this invention replaces the existing refrigeration compensation heating scheme, thus avoiding additional heat load and energy consumption for the mechanically cooled refrigerator.

[0048] Specifically, Figure 1 This is a schematic flowchart of a control method for a mechanically cooled refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. See also... Figure 1 The control method for the mechanically cooled refrigerator of the present invention includes:

[0049] Step S10: When the compressor and fan of the mechanical air-cooled refrigerator are in normal operation, obtain the ambient temperature of the space where the mechanical air-cooled refrigerator is located.

[0050] Step S20: Determine whether the ambient temperature is less than or equal to the first preset temperature; if so, proceed to step S30.

[0051] Step S30: Determine whether the measured temperature inside the refrigerator compartment is less than or equal to the preset shutdown point temperature; that is, determine whether the measured temperature inside the refrigerator compartment has dropped to or below the preset shutdown point temperature; if so, proceed to step S40.

[0052] In step S40, the compressor and fan are controlled to continue operating at target speeds and duty cycles lower than the set speed and set duty cycles, respectively. That is, when the measured temperature inside the refrigerator compartment drops to or below the preset shutdown point temperature, the compressor is controlled to continue operating at a lower speed and the fan at a lower duty cycle.

[0053] In some embodiments, after controlling the compressor and fan to continue operating at target speeds lower than set speeds and target duty cycles lower than set duty cycles, respectively, the control method of the present invention further includes:

[0054] Obtain the temperature drop of the evaporator in a mechanically cooled refrigerator after the compressor and fan have been running at target speeds and target duty cycles, respectively; and

[0055] The compressor and fan are selectively stopped based on the temperature drop value.

[0056] Even when the compressor is running at a lower target speed, refrigerant still flows through the evaporator, causing the evaporator temperature to drop slowly. When the ambient temperature is low (e.g., below the first preset temperature), the present invention further selectively stops the compressor and fan based on the temperature drop of the evaporator since the compressor and fan have continued running. This makes the continued operation time of the compressor and fan more reasonable, effectively suppressing the temperature rise in the freezer compartment while avoiding excessive energy consumption or waste in the mechanical air-cooled refrigerator due to prolonged compressor and fan operation.

[0057] Furthermore, for mechanically cooled refrigerators, the defrost sensor is an existing feature, eliminating the need for an additional temperature sensor to directly monitor the freezer compartment temperature and thus not increasing the cost. This invention utilizes the existing structural features of mechanically cooled refrigerators and employs ingenious control logic to achieve a balance between freezer compartment temperature and energy consumption in low ambient temperatures.

[0058] Specifically, Figure 2 This is a schematic flowchart of a control method for a mechanically cooled refrigerator according to another embodiment of the present invention. See also... Figure 2 In other embodiments, the control method for the mechanically cooled refrigerator of the present invention includes:

[0059] Step S10: When the compressor and fan of the mechanical air-cooled refrigerator are in normal operation, obtain the ambient temperature of the space where the mechanical air-cooled refrigerator is located.

[0060] Step S20: Determine whether the ambient temperature is less than or equal to the first preset temperature; if so, proceed to step S30.

[0061] Step S30: Determine whether the measured temperature inside the refrigerator compartment is less than or equal to the preset shutdown point temperature; if so, proceed to step S40.

[0062] Step S40: Control the compressor and fan to continue operating at a target speed lower than the set speed and a target duty cycle lower than the set duty cycle, respectively;

[0063] Step S50: Obtain the temperature drop of the evaporator of the mechanically cooled refrigerator after the compressor and fan have been running at target speeds and target duty cycles, respectively; and

[0064] Step S60: Selectively stop the compressor and fan based on the temperature drop value.

[0065] Figure 3 This is a schematic flowchart illustrating the temperature drop of the evaporator of a mechanically cooled refrigerator after the compressor and fan have been running at target speeds and target duty cycles, respectively, according to an embodiment of the present invention. In some embodiments, step S50 of obtaining the temperature drop of the evaporator of a mechanically cooled refrigerator after the compressor and fan have been running at target speeds and target duty cycles, respectively, may specifically include:

[0066] Step S51: Obtain the first evaporator temperature detected by the defrost sensor of the mechanical air-cooled refrigerator when the compressor and fan just started running at the target speed and target duty cycle, respectively, and the second evaporator temperature currently detected by the defrost sensor; and

[0067] Step S52: Calculate the temperature difference between the first evaporator and the second evaporator.

[0068] Step S53: Use this difference as the temperature drop value of the evaporator.

[0069] In some embodiments, step S60, which selectively stops the compressor and fan based on the temperature drop value, may specifically include:

[0070] When the evaporator temperature drops to the target temperature reduction value that matches the ambient temperature, the compressor and fan are stopped.

[0071] Among them, the target temperature reduction value is inversely correlated with the ambient temperature.

[0072] In other words, the lower the ambient temperature, the greater the target temperature reduction value. The lower the ambient temperature, the lower the compressor's operating rate, and the less cooling capacity it provides to the freezer compartment. Therefore, this invention sets the target temperature reduction value lower the ambient temperature, allowing the evaporator temperature to drop more. This is equivalent to the compressor running at a lower speed for a longer period, providing more cooling capacity to the freezer compartment. This compensates for the insufficient cooling capacity input to the freezer compartment due to the low compressor operating rate, thus providing more cooling capacity to the freezer compartment even at extremely low ambient temperatures, ensuring a lower temperature inside the freezer compartment.

[0073] Specifically, Figure 4 This is a schematic flowchart of a control method for a mechanically cooled refrigerator according to another embodiment of the present invention. See also... Figure 4 In some other embodiments, the control method for the mechanically cooled refrigerator of the present invention includes:

[0074] Step S10: When the compressor and fan of the mechanical air-cooled refrigerator are in normal operation, obtain the ambient temperature of the space where the mechanical air-cooled refrigerator is located.

[0075] Step S20: Determine whether the ambient temperature is less than or equal to the first preset temperature; if so, proceed to step S30.

[0076] Step S30: Determine whether the measured temperature inside the refrigerator compartment is less than or equal to the preset shutdown point temperature; if so, proceed to step S40.

[0077] Step S40: Control the compressor and fan to continue operating at a target speed lower than the set speed and a target duty cycle lower than the set duty cycle, respectively;

[0078] Step S50: Obtain the temperature drop of the evaporator of the mechanically cooled refrigerator after the compressor and fan have been running at target speeds and target duty cycles, respectively; and

[0079] Step S60′: When the temperature drop of the evaporator reaches the target temperature drop value that matches the ambient temperature, stop the compressor and fan.

[0080] In some embodiments, when the ambient temperature is less than or equal to a first preset temperature and greater than a second preset temperature, the corresponding target temperature reduction value is a first temperature reduction value; when the ambient temperature is less than or equal to the second preset temperature, the corresponding target temperature reduction value is a second temperature reduction value. Wherein, the first preset temperature is greater than the second preset temperature, and the first temperature reduction value is less than the second temperature reduction value.

[0081] In other words, when the ambient temperature is low, the ambient temperature can be further divided into two levels: one is between the first preset temperature and the second preset temperature, and the other is below the second preset temperature. A target temperature reduction value is set for each level to more accurately control the start and stop of the compressor and fan.

[0082] Specifically, the first preset temperature can be any temperature value between 12 and 14°C. The second preset temperature can be any temperature value between 4 and 6°C.

[0083] In some embodiments, the target duty cycle of the fan is set such that the amount of cooling energy driven by the fan and flowing into the refrigerator compartment is less than or equal to the amount of heat input into the refrigerator compartment.

[0084] While the compressor and fan continue to run, the compressor operates at a low speed, resulting in less cooling output from the evaporator. Furthermore, the fan's target duty cycle is specifically set so that the cooling output driven by the fan and flowing into the refrigerator compartment is less than or equal to the heat input into the refrigerator compartment. This ensures that the temperature inside the refrigerator compartment continues to rise slowly or remains essentially constant. In other words, the fan's target duty cycle is small enough that most of the cooling airflow driven by the fan flows into the freezer compartment, which is closer to the fan, while very little or no cooling airflow flows into the refrigerator compartment, which is farther from the fan. This prevents the temperature inside the refrigerator compartment from continuing to drop even when both the compressor and fan are running, effectively lowering the temperature in the freezer compartment while preventing the refrigerator compartment from becoming too cold and damaging the food.

[0085] It is understandable that the heat entering the refrigerator compartment can come from the external environment or from the food inside. For example, outside air can enter the refrigerator compartment through the door seal, and the heat carried by the air also enters the refrigerator compartment.

[0086] However, since the fan is close to the freezer compartment, even with a small target duty cycle, it can still effectively promote the flow of cooling air into the freezer compartment, thereby lowering the temperature inside. Therefore, this invention cleverly controls the fan duty cycle to effectively reduce the temperature inside the freezer compartment without significantly affecting the temperature of the refrigerator compartment.

[0087] In some embodiments, the target speed of the compressor is the minimum speed of the compressor.

[0088] Understandably, the aforementioned target duty cycle can be obtained through extensive testing, ensuring that the temperature inside the refrigerator compartment rises slowly when the fan operates at this target duty cycle. Preferably, the target duty cycle of the fan is less than or equal to 40%. Through numerous experiments, the inventors discovered that when the fan's duty cycle is less than or equal to 40%, most of the cooling airflow driven by the fan flows into the freezer compartment, with very little or no cooling airflow flowing into the refrigerator compartment. This precisely meets the requirement for the target duty cycle of the fan.

[0089] Preferably, within a range of 40% or less, the target duty cycle of the fan can be appropriately adjusted according to the ambient temperature.

[0090] In some embodiments, when the ambient temperature is less than or equal to a first preset temperature and greater than a second preset temperature, the target duty cycle of the fan is the first duty cycle; when the ambient temperature is less than or equal to the second preset temperature, the target duty cycle of the fan is the second duty cycle; wherein, the first duty cycle is greater than or equal to the second duty cycle.

[0091] In other words, when the ambient temperature is low, it can be further divided into two levels: one between the first and second preset temperatures, and the other below the second preset temperature, with a corresponding target duty cycle for the fan. Within a certain range, the lower the ambient temperature, the smaller the heat load of the freezer compartment, and the smaller the target duty cycle of the fan. This means that the fan can drive less cooling airflow into the freezer compartment to effectively reduce the temperature inside the freezer compartment to a reasonable range.

[0092] Of course, when the ambient temperature is less than or equal to the first preset temperature, the fan can also operate at the same target duty cycle.

[0093] In some embodiments, the control method of the present invention further includes:

[0094] When the measured temperature inside the refrigerator compartment is higher than its preset start-up temperature, the compressor and fan of the mechanical frost-free refrigerator are started and run at set speeds and duty cycles, respectively. In other words, when the measured temperature inside the refrigerator compartment is higher than its preset start-up temperature, the compressor and fan can be controlled according to normal control logic, which will not be elaborated here.

[0095] It is understandable that when the ambient temperature is higher than the first preset temperature, it means that the ambient temperature is not very low. At this time, the ambient temperature has little impact on the temperature control of the freezer compartment. Mechanical air-cooled refrigerators can control the compressor and fan according to the traditional control logic, which will not be elaborated here.

[0096] The present invention also provides a mechanically cooled refrigerator 1, which includes a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment for storing items. The refrigerator compartment has a refrigerated storage environment, and the freezer compartment has a frozen storage environment, wherein the temperature inside the freezer compartment is lower than the temperature inside the refrigerator compartment.

[0097] In particular, Figure 5 This is a schematic structural block diagram of a mechanically cooled air-cooled refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. See also... Figure 5 The mechanically cooled refrigerator 1 also includes an ambient temperature detection device 10, a refrigerator temperature detection device 20, and a control device 30 connected to the ambient temperature detection device 10 and the refrigerator temperature detection device 20. The ambient temperature detection device 10 is used to detect the ambient temperature of the space where the mechanically cooled refrigerator 1 is located. The refrigerator temperature detection device 20 is used to detect the measured temperature inside the refrigerator compartment. The control device 30 includes a processor 31 and a memory 32. The memory 32 stores a machine-executable program 33, and when the machine-executable program 33 is executed by the processor 31, it is used to implement the control method described in any of the above embodiments.

[0098] Specifically, both the environmental monitoring device 10 and the refrigeration temperature monitoring device 20 can be temperature sensors, temperature sensors, or other devices capable of acquiring temperature values.

[0099] Specifically, processor 31 can be a central processing unit (CPU) or a digital processing unit, etc. Processor 31 sends and receives data via a communication interface. Memory 32 is used to store the program executed by processor 31. Memory 32 can be any medium capable of carrying or storing desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures, and accessible by a computer; it can also be a combination of multiple memories. The aforementioned machine-executable program 33 can be downloaded from a computer-readable storage medium to the corresponding computing / processing device or via a network (e.g., the Internet, local area network, wide area network, and / or wireless network) to a computer or external storage device.

[0100] Those skilled in the art should understand that the embodiments described above are merely some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments of the present invention. These embodiments are intended to explain the technical principles of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Based on the embodiments provided by the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort should still fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0101] Furthermore, it should be noted that, in the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" 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; and they can also refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0102] Furthermore, it should be noted that in the description of this invention, each functional module can be a physical module composed of multiple structures, components, or electronic devices, or a virtual module composed of multiple programs; each functional module can be an independent module or a module divided from a whole module according to its function. Those skilled in the art should understand that, provided the technical solution described in this invention can be implemented, any changes in the configuration, implementation, or positional relationship of the functional modules will not deviate from the technical principles of this invention, and therefore should all fall within the protection scope of this invention.

[0103] Therefore, those skilled in the art should recognize that although numerous exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described in detail herein, many other variations or modifications conforming to the principles of the present invention can be directly determined or derived from the disclosure of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the scope of the present invention should be understood and construed as covering all such other variations or modifications.

Claims

1. A control method for a mechanically cooled refrigerator, the mechanically cooled refrigerator comprising a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment for storing items, the control method comprising: The ambient temperature of the space where the mechanical air-cooled refrigerator is located is obtained when the compressor and fan of the mechanical air-cooled refrigerator are in normal operation. Under the normal operating conditions, the compressor and the fan operate at a set speed and a set duty cycle, respectively. as well as When the ambient temperature is less than or equal to the first preset temperature and the measured temperature inside the refrigerator is less than or equal to the preset shutdown point temperature, the compressor and the fan are controlled to continue running at a target speed lower than the set speed and a target duty cycle lower than the set duty cycle, respectively. After controlling the compressor and the fan to continue operating at target speeds lower than the set speed and target duty cycles lower than the set duty cycles, respectively, the control method further includes: The temperature drop of the evaporator of the mechanical air-cooled refrigerator is obtained after the compressor and the fan are running at the target speed and the target duty cycle, respectively. as well as The compressor and the fan are selectively stopped based on the temperature drop value.

2. The control method according to claim 1, wherein The step of obtaining the temperature drop value of the evaporator of the mechanical air-cooled refrigerator after the compressor and the fan are running at the target speed and the target duty cycle, respectively, includes: The defrost sensor of the mechanical air-cooled refrigerator detects the first evaporator temperature when the compressor and the fan start running at the target speed and the target duty cycle, respectively, and the second evaporator temperature currently detected by the defrost sensor. as well as Calculate the difference between the temperature of the first evaporator and the temperature of the second evaporator, and use the difference as the temperature drop of the evaporator.

3. The control method according to claim 1, wherein... The step of selectively stopping the compressor and the fan based on the temperature drop value includes: When the temperature drop of the evaporator reaches the target temperature drop value that matches the ambient temperature, the compressor and the fan are stopped. in The target temperature reduction is inversely correlated with the ambient temperature.

4. The control method according to claim 3, wherein When the ambient temperature is less than or equal to the first preset temperature and greater than the second preset temperature, the target temperature reduction value that matches it is the first temperature reduction value. When the ambient temperature is less than or equal to the second preset temperature, the corresponding target temperature reduction value is the second temperature reduction value; wherein The first preset temperature is greater than the second preset temperature, and the first temperature decrease is less than the second temperature decrease.

5. The control method according to claim 1, wherein... The target duty cycle of the fan is set such that the cooling capacity driven by the fan and flowing into the refrigerator compartment is less than or equal to the heat input into the refrigerator compartment.

6. The control method according to claim 5, wherein The target speed of the compressor is the minimum speed of the compressor; and / or The target duty cycle of the wind turbine is less than or equal to 40%.

7. The control method according to claim 5, wherein When the ambient temperature is less than or equal to the first preset temperature and greater than the second preset temperature, the target duty cycle of the fan is the first duty cycle; When the ambient temperature is less than or equal to the second preset temperature, the target duty cycle of the fan is the second duty cycle; in The first duty cycle is greater than or equal to the second duty cycle.

8. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the measured temperature inside the refrigerator compartment is higher than its preset start-up temperature, the compressor and fan of the mechanical air-cooled refrigerator are started and run at the set speed and the set duty cycle, respectively.

9. A mechanically cooled refrigerator, comprising a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment for storing items, and further comprising: An ambient temperature detection device is used to detect the ambient temperature of the space in which the mechanical air-cooled refrigerator is located; A refrigeration temperature detection device is used to detect the actual temperature inside the refrigeration compartment; as well as A control device includes a processor and a memory, the memory storing a machine-executable program, and the machine-executable program being executed by the processor to implement the control method according to any one of claims 1-8.

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