Unfreezing device, unfreezing method, controller and refrigerator

Abstract

The invention discloses an unfreezing device, an unfreezing method, a controller and a refrigerator. The unfreezing device comprises an unfreezing drawer; the electric field generating device is used for generating an electric field into the thawing drawer; the air supply device is used for supplying air into the thawing drawer; the controller is used for periodically acquiring the temperature of the to-be-unfrozen food material in the unfreezing process, controlling the electric field generation device to operate at a first voltage and controlling the air supply device to operate at a first air speed when the temperature of the to-be-unfrozen food material is smaller than a first temperature threshold value; under the condition that the temperature of the to-be-unfrozen food material is smaller than a second temperature threshold value and larger than the first temperature threshold value, the electric field generating device is controlled to operate at a second voltage, the air supply device is controlled to operate at a second air speed, and under the condition that the temperature of the to-be-unfrozen food material is larger than the second temperature threshold value, the electric field generating device is controlled to operate at a third voltage, and stopping the air supply device. In the embodiment of the invention, through mutual cooperation of the electric field generating device and the air supply device, the unfreezing effect and the unfreezing efficiency are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of thawing technology, and in particular to a thawing device, a thawing method, a controller and a refrigerator. Background Art

[0002] Using the refrigerator's cold storage room to defrost food such as meat can retain the nutrients of the food during the thawing process and is not prone to bacterial growth during the thawing process. However, the cold storage room has problems such as slow thawing speed and serious nutrient loss during running water thawing, which seriously deteriorates the quality of food and wastes water resources. In order to solve the problem of slow thawing speed in the cold storage room, the related technology sets an electric field generating device in the thawing drawer of the cold storage room, which promotes the polarization of water molecules in the meat through the electric field, generates heat through friction, accelerates heat transfer, and speeds up the thawing speed of food.

[0003] In the related art, food is thawed by electric field, usually considering shortening the thawing time. The electric field generating device uses constant voltage control throughout the entire thawing process. However, meat thawing has different thawing requirements at different stages, so the electric field thawing method of the related art is not effective enough. Summary of the invention

[0004] The present embodiment provides a thawing device, a thawing method, a controller and a refrigerator, which can improve the thawing effect and thawing efficiency.

[0005] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a thawing device, comprising:

[0006] A thawing drawer, wherein an upper cover is provided at an open portion of the thawing drawer;

[0007] An electric field generating device, disposed on the upper cover plate, for generating an electric field toward the interior of the thawing drawer;

[0008] An air supply device, disposed on the upper cover plate, for supplying air to the interior of the thawing drawer;

[0009] a controller, for periodically acquiring the temperature of the food to be thawed during the thawing process, and for controlling the electric field generating device to operate at a first voltage and the air supply device to operate at a first wind speed when the temperature of the food to be thawed is less than a first temperature threshold, controlling the electric field generating device to operate at a second voltage and the air supply device to operate at a second wind speed when the temperature of the food to be thawed is less than a second temperature threshold and greater than the first temperature threshold, and controlling the electric field generating device to operate at a third voltage and stop the air supply device when the temperature of the food to be thawed is greater than the second temperature threshold;

[0010] The first wind speed is greater than the second wind speed, the first temperature threshold is less than the second temperature threshold, and the second temperature threshold is less than 0°C.

[0011] In some embodiments, the electric field generating device includes an arc-shaped electrode and a power source for supplying power to the arc-shaped electrode, and the air supply device is disposed on the inner circle of the arc-shaped electrode.

[0012] In some embodiments, the bottom of the thawing drawer includes a metal plate for heat transfer and a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the food to be thawed.

[0013] In a second aspect, this embodiment provides a thawing method, which is applied to the thawing device of the first aspect embodiment, and the thawing method comprises:

[0014] Periodically obtaining the temperature of the food to be thawed during the thawing process;

[0015] When the temperature of the food to be thawed is lower than a first temperature threshold, controlling the electric field generating device to operate at a first voltage, and controlling the air supply device to operate at a first wind speed;

[0016] When the temperature of the food to be thawed is lower than a second temperature threshold and higher than the first temperature threshold, controlling the electric field generating device to operate at a second voltage and controlling the air supply device to operate at a second wind speed;

[0017] When the temperature of the food to be thawed is greater than the second temperature threshold, controlling the electric field generating device to operate at a third voltage and stopping the air supply device;

[0018] The first wind speed is greater than the second wind speed, the first temperature threshold is less than the second temperature threshold, and the second temperature threshold is less than 0°C.

[0019] In some embodiments, the thawing method further comprises:

[0020] When the temperature of the food to be thawed is greater than or equal to 0° C., the electric field generating device is stopped.

[0021] In some embodiments, the first voltage, the second voltage, and the third voltage are equal.

[0022] In some embodiments, the wind speed range of the first wind speed is between a first wind speed threshold and a second wind speed threshold, and the wind speed range of the second wind speed is between a third wind speed threshold and a fourth wind speed threshold;

[0023] The first wind speed threshold, the second wind speed threshold, the third wind speed threshold and the fourth wind speed threshold decrease successively, and are all determined according to the electric field strength corresponding to the first voltage, the cross-sectional area of ​​the air outlet of the air supply device and the electrode area of ​​the electric field generating device.

[0024] In some embodiments, the first temperature threshold is -5°C, and the second temperature threshold is -2°C.

[0025] In the third aspect, this embodiment provides a controller comprising at least one processor and a memory for communicating with the at least one processor; the memory stores instructions that can be executed by the at least one processor, and the instructions are executed by the at least one processor so that the at least one processor can execute the thawing method described in the embodiment of the second aspect.

[0026] In a fourth aspect, this embodiment provides a refrigerator, comprising the thawing device of the first aspect embodiment or the controller of the third aspect embodiment.

[0027] In a fifth aspect, this embodiment provides a computer-readable storage medium, wherein the computer-readable storage medium stores computer-executable instructions, and the computer-executable instructions are used to enable a computer to execute the thawing method as described in the second aspect.

[0028] The thawing device, thawing method, controller and refrigerator of the present embodiment have at least the following beneficial effects: during the thawing process, the electric field generating device and the air supply device are started to thaw the food to be thawed, and the voltage of the electric field generating device and the wind speed of the air supply device are set according to the different temperature stages of the food to be thawed. When the food to be thawed is just beginning to be thawed and the temperature of the food to be thawed is low, the food to be thawed is thawed mainly by air supply and supplemented by electric field. When the temperature of the food to be thawed rises above a first temperature threshold, the air supply speed is reduced and the food to be thawed is thawed mainly by electric field and supplemented by air supply. When the temperature of the food to be thawed rises above a second temperature threshold, the air supply is stopped to prevent the food from being dried out. Through the above-mentioned thawing method, the thawing efficiency and thawing effect can be improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the thawing device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0030] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of the upper cover plate provided in this embodiment;

[0031] Figure 3 It is an overall flow chart of the thawing method provided in the embodiment of the present application;

[0032] Figure 4 is a flow chart of a thawing method provided by another embodiment of the present application;

[0033] Figure 5 An overall flow chart of a thawing method provided as an example of this application;

[0034] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of a controller provided in one embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the present application clearer, the present application is further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and examples. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present application and are not intended to limit the present application. In addition, the characteristics, operations or features described in the specification can be combined in any appropriate manner to form various implementation methods. At the same time, the steps or actions in the method description can also be replaced or adjusted in order in a manner that is obvious to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the various sequences in the specification and the accompanying drawings are only for the purpose of clearly describing a certain embodiment and are not meant to be a necessary sequence, unless otherwise specified that a certain sequence must be followed.

[0036] In the description of this application, "several" means one or more, "more" means more than two, "greater than", "less than", "exceed", etc. are understood to exclude the number itself, and "above", "below", "within", etc. are understood to include the number itself. If there is a description of "first" or "second", it is only used for the purpose of distinguishing technical features, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features or implicitly indicating the order of the indicated technical features.

[0037] The serial numbers of the components in this document, such as "first", "second", etc., are only used to distinguish the objects described and do not have any order or technical meaning. The "connection" and "coupling" mentioned in this application, unless otherwise specified, include direct and indirect connections (couplings).

[0038] Fast thawing is a major pain point in people's lives today. Frozen meat thaws slowly and takes a long time to wait, which greatly prolongs the time spent on cooking, and is not in line with people's current fast-paced lifestyle. Among the current common thawing methods, room temperature thawing and refrigerator thawing are slow, resulting in serious nutrient loss during running water thawing, causing a serious decline in quality and waste of water resources. The currently more popular microwave thawing and air fryer thawing speeds are fast, but there are often problems such as serious juice loss, uneven thawing, and easy ripening of the bottom edge.

[0039] In the related technology, the thawing of food by electric field is usually considered to shorten the thawing time. The electric field generating device is controlled by constant voltage during the whole thawing process. The electric field has been proven to promote the polarization of water molecules, generate heat through friction, and accelerate heat transfer. It is a penetrating thawing method. At the same time, it was found in previous studies that the electric field can change the distribution of water molecules, promote the combination of some free water with amino acid residues in meat protein, and form tightly bound water, thereby effectively reducing the loss of water during the thawing process.

[0040] In the related art, food is thawed by electric field, usually considering shortening the thawing time. The electric field generating device uses constant voltage control throughout the entire thawing process. However, meat thawing has different thawing requirements at different stages, so the electric field thawing method of the related art is not effective enough.

[0041] Based on this, the present embodiment provides a thawing device, a thawing method, a controller and a refrigerator. During the thawing process, the electric field generating device and the air supply device are started to thaw the food to be thawed, and the voltage of the electric field generating device and the wind speed of the air supply device are set according to the different temperature stages of the food to be thawed. When the food to be thawed is just beginning to be thawed and the temperature of the food to be thawed is low, the thawing is carried out mainly by air supply and supplemented by electric field. When the temperature of the food to be thawed rises above a first temperature threshold, the air supply speed is reduced, and the thawing is carried out mainly by electric field and supplemented by air supply. When the temperature of the food to be thawed rises above a second temperature threshold, the air supply is stopped to prevent the food from being dried out. Through the above-mentioned thawing method, the thawing efficiency and thawing effect can be improved.

[0042] The thawing device, thawing method, controller and refrigerator are described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings:

[0043] Reference Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the thawing device provided in this embodiment.

[0044] In some embodiments, a thawing device provided in this embodiment includes: a thawing drawer 100, wherein an upper cover plate 200 is provided at an open portion of the thawing drawer 100; an electric field generating device 300, disposed on the upper cover plate 200, for generating an electric field to the inside of the thawing drawer 100, thereby promoting polarization of water molecules, accelerating heat transfer, and realizing penetrating thawing of food inside the thawing drawer 100; an air supply device 400, disposed on the upper cover plate 200, for supplying air to the inside of the thawing drawer 100, thereby accelerating air flow and uniform electric field in the thawing drawer 100, and improving thawing efficiency;

[0045] The controller is used to periodically obtain the temperature of the food to be thawed during the thawing process to realize real-time temperature detection of the food to be thawed. It is also used to control the electric field generating device 300 to operate at a first voltage and control the air supply device 400 to operate at a first wind speed when the temperature of the food to be thawed is less than a first temperature threshold; control the electric field generating device 300 to operate at a second voltage and control the air supply device 400 to operate at a second wind speed when the temperature of the food to be thawed is less than a second temperature threshold and greater than the first temperature threshold; and control the electric field generating device 300 to operate at a third voltage and stop the air supply device 400 when the temperature of the food to be thawed is greater than the second temperature threshold, so that the energy supply method can be selected selectively according to different stages, energy resources can be fully utilized, and energy waste can be prevented.

[0046] It should be noted that, in this embodiment, the first wind speed is greater than the second wind speed, the first temperature threshold is less than the second temperature threshold, and the second temperature threshold is less than 0°C.

[0047] It is worth noting that the air supply device 400 in this embodiment can effectively accelerate heat convection, and can accelerate the heat exchange between frozen food and ambient air during the thawing process, accelerate the reduction of the temperature difference between the two, promote the rapid thawing of meat, and mainly act on the rapid thawing of the upper surface of the meat. Therefore, the combination of the electric field generating device 300 and the air supply device 400 as a device for thawing meat can accelerate the melting of ice crystals from both the surface and the center, realize all-round accelerated thawing, and greatly improve the thawing effect.

[0048] It can be understood that the first temperature threshold in this embodiment can be -5°C, -6°C, -7°C, etc.; the second temperature threshold can be -2°C, -3°C, -1°C, etc., and this embodiment does not make specific limitations.

[0049] Reference Figure 2 , Figure 2 This is a schematic structural diagram of the upper cover plate 200 provided in this embodiment.

[0050] In some embodiments, the electric field generating device 300 includes an arc electrode 310 and a power supply 320 for supplying power to the arc electrode. The air supply device 400 is arranged in the inner circle of the arc electrode to generate a uniform electric field inside the thawing drawer 100. At the same time, it can supply air inside the thawing drawer 100 to achieve uniform air supply to the thawing drawer 100, save the occupied area of ​​the upper cover 200, and make full use of the space of the upper cover 200.

[0051] It should be noted that the arc electrode in this embodiment is made of stainless steel. The arc electrode can be connected to a high-voltage power supply through a wire to generate an electric field, and the power supply voltage is adjustable within the range of 0-2kV and the frequency is 18k to 30kHz.

[0052] It is worth noting that the air supply device 400 in this embodiment can be an axial flow fan. The wind speed of the axial flow fan can be adjusted automatically according to the voltage. The design of the axial flow fan allows the airflow to pass through the fan in a linear motion along the axial direction without generating excessive turbulence and noise. It can evenly distribute the cold air to the interior of the refrigerator, avoid the problem of uneven temperature, and improve the energy efficiency level of the refrigerator. In addition, the axial flow fan usually has a compact appearance design and occupies a small space.

[0053] In some embodiments, the bottom of the thawing drawer 100 includes a metal plate for heat transfer and a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the food to be thawed, so as to achieve real-time measurement of the temperature of the food to be thawed and accelerate the thawing efficiency.

[0054] Reference Figure 3 , Figure 3 A specific flow chart of a thawing method provided in this embodiment, which is applied but not limited to Figure 1 The thawing device includes but is not limited to steps S100 to S400.

[0055] Step S100, periodically obtaining the temperature of the food to be thawed during the thawing process;

[0056] In some embodiments, the temperature of the food to be thawed is periodically obtained during the thawing process to achieve real-time monitoring of the temperature of the food to be thawed, so as to facilitate the subsequent setting of the voltage of the electric field generating device and the wind speed of the air supply device according to the different temperature stages of the different food to be thawed, so as to make full use of energy.

[0057] It should be noted that, in this embodiment, the temperature of the food to be thawed can be obtained at intervals of one minute, five minutes, or ten minutes, and this embodiment does not impose any specific limitation on the setting of the interval time.

[0058] Step S200, when the temperature of the food to be thawed is less than a first temperature threshold, controlling the electric field generating device to operate at a first voltage, and controlling the air supply device to operate at a first wind speed;

[0059] In some embodiments, when the temperature of the food to be thawed is lower than a first temperature threshold, it proves that the temperature of the food to be thawed is low, and the electric field generating device and the air supply device need to be started simultaneously to thaw the food to be thawed. The electric field generating device is controlled to operate at a first voltage, and the air supply device is controlled to operate at a first wind speed, so that the thawing is performed in the form of air supply as the main method and electric field as the auxiliary method, thereby promoting rapid thawing of the surface of the food to be thawed.

[0060] It should be noted that, taking the meat thawing process as an example, in the process of thawing meat products, -18 to -5°C is the rapid heating stage, and -5 to 0°C is the stage of passing through the maximum ice crystal band. Among them, passing through the maximum ice crystal band stage takes a long time and is the rate-limiting stage of the thawing process. Since there are different stages in the meat thawing process, the energy supply method can be selected differently for different stages. That is, when the temperature of the food to be thawed is lower than the first temperature threshold, the air supply device is mainly used for convection thawing from the outside to the inside, and the electric field generating device is used to assist, so as to achieve rapid thawing of the surface of the food to be thawed, so that the food to be thawed can pass through the rapid heating stage.

[0061] It can be understood that in this embodiment, when the temperature of the food to be thawed is less than or equal to the first temperature threshold, the electric field generating device can be controlled to operate at the first voltage, and the air supply device can be controlled to operate at the first wind speed. This embodiment does not make specific restrictions.

[0062] Step S300, when the temperature of the food to be thawed is less than the second temperature threshold and greater than the first temperature threshold, controlling the electric field generating device to operate at a second voltage and controlling the air supply device to operate at a second wind speed;

[0063] In some embodiments, when the temperature of the food to be thawed is less than the second temperature threshold and greater than the first temperature threshold, the electric field generating device and the air supply device are also started at the same time to thaw the food to be thawed, and the electric field generating device is controlled to operate at a second voltage, and the air supply device is controlled to operate at a second wind speed, and the air supply speed is reduced. The thawing is carried out in a form of electric field as the main and air supply as the auxiliary, so as to improve the thawing efficiency of the food to be thawed in the temperature range from the first temperature threshold to the second temperature threshold.

[0064] It should be noted that, taking the meat thawing process as an example, when the temperature is between -5 and 0℃, which is the stage of passing through the maximum ice crystal zone, an electric field generating device is required to perform penetrating thawing from the inside out, and an auxiliary air supply device is required to uniformly distribute the electric field and speed up the passage through the maximum ice crystal zone stage.

[0065] It can be understood that when the electric field generating device is controlled to operate at the second voltage and the air supply device is controlled to operate at the second wind speed, the temperature of the food to be thawed can be less than the second temperature threshold, or can be less than or equal to the second temperature threshold, and this embodiment does not impose specific limitations.

[0066] Step S400, when the temperature of the food to be thawed is greater than the second temperature threshold, the electric field generating device is controlled to operate at a third voltage and the air supply device is stopped.

[0067] In some embodiments, when the temperature of the food to be thawed is greater than the second temperature threshold, the electric field generating device is controlled to operate at a third voltage and the air supply device is stopped to avoid the food to be thawed being dried out and ensure the freshness of the food.

[0068] It should be noted that when the temperature of the food to be thawed is greater than the second temperature threshold, the air supply device is turned off, the air supply is stopped, and the electric field generating device is controlled to operate at the third voltage, and the thawing is continued to be promoted through the electric field penetration effect, so as to avoid the food to be thawed being dried out during the thawing process.

[0069] It is worth noting that the first wind speed is greater than the second wind speed, the first temperature threshold is less than the second temperature threshold, and the second temperature threshold is less than 0°C, so as to achieve rapid thawing of the food to be thawed at different stages.

[0070] Reference Figure 4 , Figure 4 This is a flowchart of a thawing method provided in another embodiment of the present application. The thawing method includes but is not limited to step S500.

[0071] Step S500: when the temperature of the food to be thawed is greater than or equal to 0°C, the electric field generating device is stopped.

[0072] In some embodiments, when the temperature of the food to be thawed is greater than or equal to 0°C, there is no need to thaw the food to be thawed, and the electric field generating device is stopped, thereby avoiding energy waste.

[0073] It should be noted that the first temperature threshold is set to -5°C and the second temperature threshold is set to -2°C. When the temperature of the food to be thawed is -1°C, the electric field generating device is controlled to operate at the third voltage, and the air supply device is stopped to prevent the food to be thawed from being dried by the air. The temperature of the food to be thawed continues to be obtained periodically. When it is determined that the temperature of the food to be thawed is greater than or equal to 0°C, the electric field generating device is stopped to end the thawing process of the food to be thawed.

[0074] In some embodiments, the first temperature threshold is set to -5°C and the second temperature threshold is -2°C. When the temperature of the food to be thawed is -8°C, the electric field generating device is controlled to operate at the first voltage, and the air supply device is controlled to operate at the first wind speed. Thawing is performed in the form of air supply as the main and electric field as the auxiliary, so as to promote rapid thawing of the surface of the food to be thawed, and the temperature of the food to be thawed is continued to be periodically obtained. When it is determined that the temperature of the food to be thawed is -4°C, the electric field generating device is controlled to switch from the first voltage to the second voltage, and the air supply device is controlled to switch from the first wind speed to the first wind speed. Thawing is performed in the form of electric field as the main and air supply as the auxiliary, so as to speed up the passage through the maximum ice crystal zone stage, and continue to rapidly thaw the surface of the food to be thawed. When it is determined that the temperature of the food to be thawed is -1°C, the electric field generating device is controlled to operate at the third voltage, and the air supply device is stopped to avoid the food to be thawed being dried by air, and the temperature of the food to be thawed is continued to be periodically obtained. When it is determined that the temperature of the food to be thawed is greater than or equal to 0°C, the electric field generating device is stopped to end the thawing process of the food to be thawed.

[0075] In some embodiments, the first voltage, the second voltage and the third voltage are equal, thereby facilitating the adjustment of the voltage of the electric field generating device.

[0076] In some embodiments, the wind speed range of the first wind speed is between the first wind speed threshold and the second wind speed threshold, and the wind speed range of the second wind speed is between the third wind speed threshold and the fourth wind speed threshold;

[0077] The first wind speed threshold, the second wind speed threshold, the third wind speed threshold and the fourth wind speed threshold decrease successively and are all determined according to the electric field strength corresponding to the first voltage, the cross-sectional area of ​​the air outlet of the air supply device and the electrode area of ​​the electric field generating device.

[0078] It should be noted that the energy released by the air supply device is as follows:

[0079] Q 风 =1 / 2*ρ*t*s*v 3 ;

[0080] Where ρ is the air density, t is the fan operation time, s is the cross-sectional area of ​​the air outlet of the air supply device, and v is the wind speed. The energy released by the electric field generating device is as follows:

[0081] Q 电 =σ*E 2 *A*t;

[0082] Among them, σ is the dielectric constant, E is the field strength, A is the electrode area of ​​the electric field generating device, and t is the electric field working time.

[0083] It should be noted that the first wind speed threshold in this embodiment is (6σE 2 A / ρs)1 / 3 , the second wind speed threshold is (4σE 2 A / ρs) 1 / 3 , the third wind speed threshold is (σE 2 A / ρs) 1 / 3 , the fourth wind speed threshold is (2σE 2 A / 3ρs) 1 / 3 .

[0084] Among them, the first wind speed is 2Q 电 ≤Q 风 ≤3Q 电 , that is, 2*(σ*E 2 *A*t)≤1 / 2*ρ*t*s*v 3 ≤3*(σ*E 2 *A*t), further solve (4σE 2 A / ρs) 1 / 3 ≤v≤(6σE 2 A / ρs) 1 / 3 .

[0085] The second wind speed is 2Q 风 ≤Q 电 ≤3Q 风 , that is, 2*(1 / 2*ρ*t*s*v 3 )≤σ*E 2 *A*t≤3*(1 / 2*ρ*t*s*v 3 ), and further solve (2σE 2 A / 3ρs) 1 / 3 ≤v≤(σE 2 A / ρs) 1 / 3 .

[0086] In order to further explain the thawing device, thawing method, controller and refrigerator provided in this embodiment, specific examples are given below for detailed description.

[0087] Example 1:

[0088] Example 1 Figure 1 Taking the thawing device as an example, the thawing device includes: a thawing drawer 100, wherein an upper cover 200 is provided at the open portion of the thawing drawer 100; an electric field generating device 300, which is arranged on the upper cover 200 and is used to generate an electric field to the inside of the thawing drawer 100, thereby promoting the polarization of water molecules, accelerating heat transfer, and realizing penetrating thawing of the food inside the thawing drawer 100; an air supply device 400, which is arranged on the upper cover 200 and is used to supply air to the inside of the thawing drawer 100, thereby accelerating the air flow and uniform electric field in the thawing drawer 100 and improving the thawing efficiency.

[0089] The meat is thawed by the above thawing device, and the specific thawing process is as follows:

[0090] It should be noted that during the meat thawing process, the temperature range from -18°C to -5°C is the rapid heating stage, and the temperature range from -5°C to 0°C is the stage of passing through the maximum ice crystal zone. This stage takes a relatively long time and is the speed-limiting stage of the thawing process. Therefore, in this example, the thawing process is divided into three stages: in the temperature range from -18°C to -5°C, convective thawing from the outside to the inside by the air supply device 400 is mainly adopted, with the assistance of the electric field; in the temperature range from -5°C to -2°C, penetrating thawing from the inside to the outside by the electric field generating device 300 is mainly adopted, with the assistance of the air supply device 400 to uniform the electric field and accelerate the air flow; in the temperature range from -2°C to 0°C, the air supply device 400 is turned off to prevent the food ingredients from drying out, and the thawing is continued through the penetrating effect of the electric field generating device 300. This method can not only make full use of energy but also prevent a large amount of energy consumption waste caused by simultaneously turning on multiple functions.

[0091] Refer to Figure 5 , Figure 5 which is the specific flowchart of a thawing method provided by an example of this application.

[0092] Step S1: The thawing function of the refrigerator is turned on;

[0093] Step S2: Periodically obtain the temperature of the food ingredients to be thawed through the temperature sensor at the bottom of the thawing drawer;

[0094] Step S3: Determine whether the temperature of the food ingredients to be thawed is less than or equal to the first temperature threshold (-5°C);

[0095] Step S4: If the temperature of the food ingredients to be thawed is less than or equal to the first temperature threshold, control the electric field generating device to operate at the first voltage and control the air supply device to operate at the first wind speed;

[0096] Step S5: If the temperature of the food ingredients to be thawed is greater than the first temperature threshold, determine whether the temperature of the food ingredients to be thawed is less than or equal to the second temperature threshold (-2°C) and greater than the first temperature threshold;

[0097] Step S6: If the temperature of the food ingredients to be thawed is less than or equal to the second temperature threshold and greater than the first temperature threshold, control the electric field generating device to operate at the second voltage and control the air supply device to operate at the second wind speed;

[0098] Step S7: If the temperature of the food ingredients to be thawed is not between the first temperature threshold and the second temperature threshold, determine whether the temperature of the food ingredients to be thawed is greater than the second temperature threshold;

[0099] Step S8: If the temperature of the food ingredients to be thawed is greater than the second temperature threshold, control the electric field generating device to operate at the third voltage and stop the air supply device;

[0100] Step S9: if the temperature of the food to be thawed is lower than the second temperature threshold, determining whether the temperature of the food to be thawed is greater than or equal to 0° C.;

[0101] Step S10: If the temperature of the food to be thawed is greater than or equal to 0°C, the electric field generating device is stopped to end the thawing;

[0102] It should be noted that if the temperature of the food to be thawed is lower than 0°C, the electric field generating device continues to be controlled to operate at the third voltage and the air supply device is stopped.

[0103] The beneficial effects of the above control logic are: at -18~-5℃, the fan is mainly used for convection thawing from outside to inside, assisted by the electric field to promote rapid thawing of the surface; at -5~-2℃, the electric field is mainly used for penetrating thawing from inside to outside, assisted by the fan for uniform electric field, and speeding up the passage through the ice crystal zone; at -2~0℃, the fan is turned off to prevent the food from drying out, and the electric field penetration effect continues to promote thawing. This method can fully utilize energy while preventing a large amount of energy waste caused by turning on multiple functions at the same time.

[0104] like Figure 6 As shown, Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of a controller provided in one embodiment of the present application.

[0105] An embodiment of the present application also provides a controller, comprising at least one processor and a memory for communicating with the at least one processor; the memory stores instructions that can be executed by the at least one processor, and the instructions are executed by the at least one processor so that the at least one processor can execute the thawing method as described in the above embodiment.

[0106] The controller 1000 of this embodiment includes one or more processors 1001 and a memory 1002. Figure 6 In the figure, a processor 1001 and a memory 1002 are taken as an example.

[0107] The processor 1001 and the memory 1002 may be connected via a bus or other means. Figure 6 The example of connecting through bus is taken in the following.

[0108] The memory 1002, as a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, can be used to store non-transitory software programs and non-transitory computer executable programs. In addition, the memory 1002 may include a high-speed random access memory, and may also include a non-transitory memory, such as at least one disk storage device, a flash memory device, or other non-transitory solid-state storage device. In some embodiments, the memory 1002 may optionally include a memory 1002 remotely arranged relative to the processor 1001, and these remote memories may be connected to the controller 1000 via a network. Examples of the above-mentioned network include, but are not limited to, the Internet, an intranet, a local area network, a mobile communication network, and combinations thereof.

[0109] An embodiment of the present application also provides a refrigerator, comprising the thawing device or controller of the above embodiment.

[0110] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that all or some of the steps and systems in the disclosed method above may be implemented as software, firmware, hardware and appropriate combinations thereof. Some physical components or all physical components may be implemented as software executed by a processor, such as a central processing unit, a digital signal processor or a microprocessor, or may be implemented as hardware, or may be implemented as an integrated circuit, such as an application specific integrated circuit. Such software may be distributed on a computer-readable medium, which may include a computer storage medium (or a non-transitory medium) and a communication medium (or a temporary medium). As known to those skilled in the art, the term computer storage medium includes volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storing information (such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data). Computer storage media include, but are not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technologies, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical disk storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tapes, disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that may be used to store desired information and may be accessed by a computer. Furthermore, it is well known to those skilled in the art that communication media typically embodies computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data in a modulated data signal such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism, and may include any information delivery media.

[0111] The above is a specific description of the preferred implementation of the present application, but the present application is not limited to the above-mentioned implementation mode. Technical personnel familiar with the field can also make various equivalent deformations or substitutions without violating the spirit of the present application. These equivalent deformations or substitutions are all included in the scope defined by the claims of the present application.

Claims

1. Defrosting device, It is characterized in that include: A thawing drawer, wherein an upper cover is provided at an open portion of the thawing drawer; An electric field generating device, disposed on the upper cover plate, for generating an electric field toward the interior of the thawing drawer; An air supply device, disposed on the upper cover plate, for supplying air to the interior of the thawing drawer; a controller, for periodically acquiring the temperature of the food to be thawed during the thawing process, and for controlling the electric field generating device to operate at a first voltage and the air supply device to operate at a first wind speed when the temperature of the food to be thawed is less than a first temperature threshold, controlling the electric field generating device to operate at a second voltage and the air supply device to operate at a second wind speed when the temperature of the food to be thawed is less than a second temperature threshold and greater than the first temperature threshold, and controlling the electric field generating device to operate at a third voltage and stop the air supply device when the temperature of the food to be thawed is greater than the second temperature threshold; The first wind speed is greater than the second wind speed, the first temperature threshold is less than the second temperature threshold, and the second temperature threshold is less than 0°C.

2. The thawing device according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The electric field generating device comprises an arc-shaped electrode and a power source for supplying power to the arc-shaped electrode, and the air supply device is arranged on the inner circle of the arc-shaped electrode.

3. The thawing device according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The bottom of the thawing drawer includes a metal plate for heat transfer and a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the food to be thawed.

4. Thawing method, It is characterized in that Applicable to the thawing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, the thawing method comprises: Periodically obtaining the temperature of the food to be thawed during the thawing process; When the temperature of the food to be thawed is lower than a first temperature threshold, controlling the electric field generating device to operate at a first voltage, and controlling the air supply device to operate at a first wind speed; When the temperature of the food to be thawed is lower than a second temperature threshold and higher than the first temperature threshold, controlling the electric field generating device to operate at a second voltage and controlling the air supply device to operate at a second wind speed; When the temperature of the food to be thawed is greater than the second temperature threshold, controlling the electric field generating device to operate at a third voltage and stopping the air supply device; The first wind speed is greater than the second wind speed, the first temperature threshold is less than the second temperature threshold, and the second temperature threshold is less than 0°C.

5. The thawing method according to claim 4, It is characterized in that The thawing method further comprises: When the temperature of the food to be thawed is greater than or equal to 0° C., the electric field generating device is stopped.

6. The thawing method according to claim 4, It is characterized in that The first voltage, the second voltage, and the third voltage are equal.

7. The thawing method according to claim 6, It is characterized in that The wind speed range of the first wind speed is between a first wind speed threshold and a second wind speed threshold, and the wind speed range of the second wind speed is between a third wind speed threshold and a fourth wind speed threshold; The first wind speed threshold, the second wind speed threshold, the third wind speed threshold and the fourth wind speed threshold decrease successively, and are all determined according to the electric field strength corresponding to the first voltage, the cross-sectional area of ​​the air outlet of the air supply device and the electrode area of ​​the electric field generating device.

8. The thawing method according to claim 4, It is characterized in that The first temperature threshold is -5°C, and the second temperature threshold is -2°C.

9. Controller, It is characterized in that It comprises at least one processor and a memory for communicating with the at least one processor; the memory stores instructions that can be executed by the at least one processor, and the instructions are executed by the at least one processor so that the at least one processor can execute the thawing method as described in any one of claims 4 to 8.

10. Refrigerator, It is characterized in that It comprises the thawing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 or the controller according to claim 9.

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