Refrigerator and ripening humidity control method

Abstract

The invention provides a refrigerator and a ripening humidity control method, and the ripening humidity control method comprises the steps: receiving a ripening humidity control instruction, and determining a food material carrying a first mark as a target food material; acquiring humidity change information of a target food material, and determining a ripening state of the target food material; wherein the ripening state comprises an air drying state and a moisturizing state; when the target food material is in an air drying state, controlling the fan to dehumidify the target food material at a first rotating speed; and when the target food material is in the moisturizing state, turning off an evaporator within a preset time so as to moisturize the target food material. By accurately controlling the humidity in the air drying and moisturizing stages, the food materials can keep proper moisture in the ripening process, and dry meat caused by excessive air drying can be avoided. The control method is helpful for the food materials to better absorb and release moisture, so that a better ripened flavor is generated.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of refrigerators, and particularly relates to a refrigerator and a ripening humidity control method. Background Art

[0002] In the field of food processing and storage, the ripening process of food ingredients is a common processing method, aiming to promote the formation of flavor and improve the texture of food ingredients through specific environmental conditions. The ripening process usually involves the storage of meat, fish and other foods. By controlling conditions such as temperature, humidity and air circulation, the food ingredients can achieve an ideal ripening effect within a specific time. During dry aging, the environment where the food ingredients are located is relatively dry. In such an environment, moisture gradually loses from the inside of the food ingredients to the outside. At the same time, the microorganisms and enzymes contained in the food ingredients themselves are activated under suitable temperature and humidity conditions. The microorganisms carry out slow metabolic activities, and the enzymes catalyze various biochemical reactions. The combined action of microorganisms and enzymes promotes the decomposition of proteins in the meat into amino acids and the decomposition of fats into fatty acids. These substances react with each other to generate various flavor substances, thus endowing the food ingredients with unique flavors; moreover, the decomposition of proteins and fats also improves the fiber structure of the meat quality, making the meat more tender and juicy, and greatly enhancing the edible value of the food ingredients.

[0003] In the application scenario of household refrigerators, humidity has a key impact on the ripening effect of food ingredients. In the ripening area of the refrigerator, humidity control is crucial. If the humidity in the ripening area is too low, the surface of the food will be over-dried and a large amount of water will be lost, resulting in the meat becoming as dry as firewood, seriously affecting the taste and quality; when the humidity is too high, it will create favorable conditions for the growth and reproduction of microorganisms, making the food ingredients prone to spoilage and deterioration, and ultimately leading to the failure of ripening and unable to achieve the expected effect.

[0004] In the prior art, in order to control the humidity in the ripening area of the refrigerator, methods of adding an atomization module, a humidification module and a dehumidification module are usually adopted. These modules control the humidity by adjusting the water content in the air. The atomization module can convert water into tiny droplets and release them into the ripening space. The humidification module can supplement water as needed, and the dehumidification module is used to remove excess water when the humidity is too high. In theory, this multi-module cooperation method can control the humidity more precisely. However, in actual applications, many problems have emerged. On the one hand, adding multiple modules makes the structural design of the refrigerator extremely complex. Each module needs to be reasonably arranged in the limited space inside the refrigerator, which poses high requirements for the overall design of the refrigerator, not only increasing the difficulty of production and manufacturing, but also raising the production cost; on the other hand, the complex structure results in a lower practical application value. The coordinated operation of multiple modules requires precise control algorithms and a large amount of debugging work. During actual use, it is prone to failures, the maintenance cost is high, and it is difficult to be widely applied to actual products, unable to meet the market demand well. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a refrigerator and a ripening humidity control method to solve the problem that it is difficult to control the humidity during the ripening of food materials in existing refrigerators, which affects the ripening effect.

[0006] In a first aspect, this application provides a refrigerator, which includes:

[0007] A refrigerating chamber, which includes an evaporator and a refrigerating air duct; a circulation fan and an air outlet are provided in the refrigerating air duct;

[0008] A ripening compartment, which is arranged in the refrigerating chamber; the ripening compartment includes a drawer, a bottom sealing frame around the drawer, a cover plate, a refrigerating air supply opening, a ripening fan, a temperature sensor, and a humidity sensor; the refrigerating air supply opening is arranged at the rear end of the cover plate and is connected to the refrigerating air duct of the refrigerating chamber; the ripening fan is arranged on the cover plate on one side of the refrigerating air supply opening to suck the cold air from the refrigerating air supply opening and then blow it into the drawer; the temperature sensor is arranged on one side close to the evaporator; the humidity sensor is arranged at the bottom of the drawer;

[0009] A controller, which is arranged in the refrigerator, and the controller is configured to:

[0010] Receive a ripening humidity control instruction, and determine the target food material with a first mark as the target food material;

[0011] Obtain the humidity change information of the target food material and determine the ripening state of the target food material; wherein, the ripening state includes an air-dried state and a humidity-preserving state;

[0012] When the target food material is in the air-dried state, control the fan to dehumidify the target food material at a first rotation speed;

[0013] When the target food material is in the humidity-preserving state, turn off the evaporator within a preset time to preserve the humidity of the target food material.

[0014] In some possible implementation manners, when the target food material is in the air-dried state, control the fan to dehumidify the target food material at a first rotation speed, and the controller is configured to:

[0015] When the target food material is in the air-dried state, control the fan to dehumidify the target food material in a first operating state, and start a timer;

[0016] When the timing time reaches the first period, based on the current humidity change value of the target food material;

[0017] When the change value is less than or equal to the first threshold, control the blower to dehumidify the target food material at a second rotation speed within a first period of time, or control the blower to dehumidify the target food material at a first rotation speed within a second period of time; wherein, the first period of time is less than the second period of time.

[0018] In some possible implementation manners, when the target food material is in a moisturizing state, turn off the evaporator within a preset period of time to moisturize the target food material, and the controller is configured to:

[0019] When the target food material is in a moisturizing state, control the blower to moisturize the target food material in a second operating state, and start a timer;

[0020] When the timing time reaches a second period, based on the current humidity change value of the target food material;

[0021] When the change value is less than a second threshold and after the operating time of the blower reaches a third period of time, change the operating state of the blower from the second operating state to a preset operating state.

[0022] In some possible implementation manners, the controller is configured to:

[0023] When the change value is equal to or greater than the second threshold, turn off the evaporator, control the circulation fan to operate in a third operating state, and stop operating when the temperature collected by the temperature sensor reaches a preset temperature;

[0024] When the timing time reaches a third period, based on the current humidity change value of the target food material;

[0025] When the change value is less than the second threshold, turn on the evaporator, and control the circulation fan to operate in a preset state.

[0026] In some possible implementation manners, the controller is further configured to:

[0027] Acquire the current humidity of the target food material in real time;

[0028] Based on the current humidity change value of the target food material, when the change value reaches a third threshold, change the first mark of the target food material to a second mark, and stop executing the aging humidity control instruction.

[0029] In some possible implementation manners, the aging compartment further includes an ion generator, and the ion generator is arranged on one side of the aging blower; the controller is further configured to:

[0030] After receiving the aging humidity control instruction, control the ion generator to operate for 20 - 30 minutes every 10 - 15 hours, where the startup time of the ion generator is 1 - 10 seconds and the stop time is 120 - 300 seconds.

[0031] In some possible implementation manners, the first operating state is to operate for 10 - 20 minutes every 6 - 9 hours, and the second operating state is to operate for 10 - 20 minutes every 9 - 12 hours.

[0032] In some possible implementation manners, the first rotation speed is 2000 - 2500 r / min, and the second rotation speed is 2500 - 3000 r / min.

[0033] In some possible implementation manners, the controller is further configured to:

[0034] Obtain the humidity of the aging compartment;

[0035] When the humidity is less than the first humidity and the food is in the moisturizing stage, increase the defrosting frequency;

[0036] When the humidity is greater than the first humidity or the target food ingredient is in the air-drying stage, reduce the defrosting frequency.

[0037] In a second aspect, the present application provides an aging humidity control method, which is applied to the refrigerator described in the first aspect. The method includes:

[0038] Receive the aging humidity control instruction, and determine the food ingredient with the first label as the target food ingredient;

[0039] Obtain the humidity change information of the target food ingredient, and determine the aging state of the target food ingredient; where the aging state includes the air-drying state and the moisturizing state;

[0040] When the target food ingredient is in the air-drying state, control the blower to dehumidify the target food ingredient at the first rotation speed;

[0041] When the target food ingredient is in the moisturizing state, turn off the evaporator within a preset time to moisturize the target food ingredient.

[0042] As can be seen from the above, the present application provides a refrigerator and an aging humidity control method. The aging humidity control method includes: receiving an aging humidity control instruction, and determining the target food material with the first label; obtaining the humidity change information of the target food material, and determining the aging state of the target food material; wherein, the aging state includes an air-dried state and a humidity-preserving state; when the target food material is in the air-dried state, controlling the fan to dehumidify the target food material at a first rotation speed; when the target food material is in the humidity-preserving state, closing the evaporator within a preset time to preserve the humidity of the target food material. The present application ensures that the food material can maintain appropriate moisture during the aging process and avoid the dry and tough texture of the meat caused by excessive air-drying by precisely controlling the humidity in the air-drying and humidity-preserving stages. This control method helps the food material better absorb and release moisture, thereby generating a better aging flavor. The present application uses the high-humidity air generated by the phase change of the defrosting water for humidity preservation, avoiding the addition of additional equipment, simplifying the structural design, making humidity control more convenient, and improving the user experience. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, the drawings required for use in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, for those of ordinary skill in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative efforts.

[0044] Figure 1 Structural schematic diagram of the refrigerator provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0045] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the aging drawer structure provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0046] Figure 3 Top view of the cover plate provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0047] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the internal air flow path of the drawer provided by the embodiment of the present application.

[0048] Illustration: 1 - refrigerator; 10 - cover plate; 20 - drawer; 30 - refrigeration air duct; 110 - refrigeration air supply port; 120 - aging fan; 130 - ion generator; 140 - temperature sensor; 201 - bottom sealing frame; 210 - humidity sensor. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0049] Embodiments will be described in detail below, and examples thereof are shown in the accompanying drawings. When the following description refers to the accompanying drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numbers in different drawings represent the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following examples do not represent all embodiments consistent with the present application. They are merely examples of systems and methods consistent with some aspects of the present application as detailed in the claims.

[0050] In the field of food processing and storage, the aging process of food ingredients is a common treatment method aimed at promoting the formation of flavor and improving the texture of food ingredients through specific environmental conditions. The aging process usually involves the storage of meat, fish, and other foods. By controlling conditions such as temperature, humidity, and air circulation, the food ingredients can achieve the ideal aging effect within a specific time. During dry aging, the environment where the food ingredients are located is relatively dry. In such an environment, moisture gradually escapes from the inside of the food ingredients to the outside. At the same time, the microorganisms and enzymes contained in the food ingredients themselves are activated under suitable temperature and humidity conditions. The microorganisms carry out slow metabolic activities, and the enzymes catalyze various biochemical reactions. The combined action of microorganisms and enzymes causes the proteins in the meat to be decomposed into amino acids, and the fat to be decomposed into fatty acids. These substances react with each other to generate various flavor substances, thus endowing the food ingredients with a unique flavor. Moreover, the decomposition of proteins and fats also improves the fiber structure of the meat quality, making the meat more tender and juicy, and greatly enhancing the edible value of the food ingredients.

[0051] In the application scenario of household refrigerators, humidity has a crucial impact on the aging effect of food ingredients. In the aging zone of the refrigerator, humidity control is of vital importance. If the humidity in the aging zone is too low, the surface of the food will be overly dried, losing a large amount of water, resulting in the meat becoming as dry as firewood, seriously affecting the taste and quality. When the humidity is too high, it will create favorable conditions for the growth and reproduction of microorganisms, making the food ingredients prone to spoilage and deterioration, ultimately leading to the failure of aging and unable to achieve the expected effect.

[0052] In the prior art, in order to control the humidity in the aging zone of a refrigerator, methods such as adding an atomization module, a humidification module, and a dehumidification module are usually adopted. These modules control the humidity by adjusting the moisture content in the air. The atomization module can convert moisture into tiny droplets and release them into the aging space. The humidification module can supplement moisture as needed, and the dehumidification module is used to remove excess moisture when the humidity is too high. Theoretically, this multi-module collaborative method can more precisely regulate the humidity. However, in practical applications, many problems have emerged. On the one hand, adding multiple modules makes the structural design of the refrigerator extremely complex. Each module needs to be reasonably arranged in the limited space inside the refrigerator, which poses high requirements for the overall design of the refrigerator, not only increasing the difficulty of production and manufacturing but also raising the production cost. On the other hand, the complex structure results in a relatively low practical application value. The collaborative work of multiple modules requires precise control algorithms and a large amount of debugging work. During actual use, it is prone to failures, with high maintenance costs, and it is difficult to be widely applied to actual products, unable to well meet the market demand.

[0053] Based on this, the present application provides a refrigerator, as Figures 1 to 4 shown, the refrigerator includes:

[0054] A refrigerating compartment, the refrigerating compartment includes an evaporator and a refrigerating air duct 30; a circulation fan and an air outlet are provided in the refrigerating air duct 30;

[0055] An aging compartment, the aging compartment is arranged in the refrigerating compartment; the aging compartment includes a drawer 20, a bottom sealing frame 201 around the drawer 20, a cover plate 10, a refrigerating air supply port 110, an aging fan 120, a temperature sensor 140, and a humidity sensor 210; the refrigerating air supply port 110 is arranged at the rear end of the cover plate 10 and is connected to the refrigerating air duct of the refrigerating compartment; the aging fan 120 is arranged on the cover plate 10 on one side of the refrigerating air supply port 110 to suck the cold air from the refrigerating air supply port 110 and then blow it into the drawer 20; the refrigerating air return port is on the bottom sealing frame 201 of the drawer 20, so that the air flow in the drawer flows back to the refrigerating compartment from the bottom refrigerating air return port to complete the air flow circulation. The temperature sensor 140 is arranged on one side close to the evaporator; the humidity sensor 210 is arranged at the bottom of the drawer 20. The bottom sealing frame 201, the cover plate 10, and the drawer 20 are assembled into one body.

[0056] A controller, the controller is arranged inside the refrigerator, and the controller is configured to:

[0057] Receive an aging humidity control instruction and determine the target food with a first mark as the target food;

[0058] Obtain the humidity change information of the target food and determine the aging state of the target food; wherein, the aging state includes an air-dried state and a moisturizing state;

[0059] When the target food ingredient is in an air-dried state, control the blower to dehumidify the target food ingredient at a first rotation speed;

[0060] When the target food ingredient is in a moisturized state, turn off the evaporator within a preset time to moisturize the target food ingredient. Among them, for the monitoring method of humidity change information, a humidity sensor can be installed on the drawer cover or at the refrigeration air return port.

[0061] This application obtains the humidity change information of the target food ingredient through a humidity sensor, and then determines the aging state, and adopts different control strategies for different states of air-drying and moisturizing. In the air-dried state, control the blower to dehumidify the target food ingredient at a first rotation speed, so that the food ingredient can reach a preset change value within an appropriate time, avoiding poor aging flavor or spoilage risk caused by insufficient water loss; in the moisturized state, by turning off the evaporator within a preset time, use the high-humidity air generated by the phase change of the defrosting water to moisturize, prevent the food ingredient from being overly air-dried, keep the meat tender and juicy, improve the taste and quality of the food ingredient, and ensure that food ingredients of different volumes can obtain good aging effects.

[0062] The refrigerator can receive the aging humidity control instruction and identify the target food ingredient, so that users can more conveniently perform aging treatment on specific food ingredients to meet personalized needs. Precise humidity control allows users not to worry about the failure of aging due to humidity problems, reduces the operation difficulty, and improves the user's satisfaction with using the refrigerator for food ingredient aging.

[0063] When the user puts the food to be aged into the aging compartment of the refrigerator and starts the aging function, the humidity sensor immediately starts to work and records the initial humidity of the food. This data will be transmitted to the controller as the basic data for subsequent calculation of humidity change and judgment of aging state.

[0064] The controller of the refrigerator will determine the target food ingredient after receiving the aging humidity control instruction sent by the user.

[0065] In some embodiments, only one type of food ingredient can be placed in the aging compartment, and the food ingredient in the aging compartment is the target food ingredient; multiple types of food ingredients can also be placed in the aging compartment, and the controller adds a first mark to the food ingredient according to the storage time or type of the food ingredient in the aging compartment, and the food ingredient with the first mark is the target food ingredient.

[0066] After determining the target food ingredient, the controller determines the aging state of the target food ingredient based on the humidity change information of the target food ingredient, and the aging state is divided into an air-dried state and a moisturized state.

[0067] During the air-drying stage, the controller operates according to a preset first time period P1 (3 - 7 days) and a first change value threshold α1 (5 - 10%). During the P1 time, the humidity sensor continuously collects food humidity data and transmits it to the controller in real time. The controller calculates the humidity change value of the food based on this data, and the formula is: (initial humidity - current humidity) ÷ initial humidity × 100%. If at the end of P1, the calculated change value reaches α1, the controller determines that the air-drying stage is completed and can enter the humidity preservation stage; if not, the controller will increase the rotation speed R1 of the aging fan (2500 - 3000 r / min) or extend the fan operation time t1 to accelerate moisture removal and water loss until the change value reaches α1.

[0068] During the humidity preservation stage, the aging fan operates according to a second frequency F2 (runs for 10 - 20 minutes every 9 - 12 hours, and the fan rotation speed is 2000 - 2500 r / min). The controller calculates the change value every second time period P2 (2 - 4 days). At this time, the change value calculation is compared with the humidity at the start time of the second cycle, and the formula is: (humidity at the start of the second cycle - current humidity) ÷ humidity at the start of the second cycle × 100%. If the change value reaches the second change value threshold α2 (2 - 8%), the controller determines that humidity preservation is required, and immediately starts the humidity preservation program, that is, when the refrigeration of the refrigerating chamber evaporator is turned off, the circulation fan in the air duct of the refrigerating chamber is delayed to turn off, and the high-humidity air generated by the phase change of the defrosting water is used to moisturize the aging zone until the temperature collected by the temperature sensor near the evaporator reaches the preset temperature Tt (-1 - 3°C); if the change value is less than α2, the humidity preservation is stopped and waiting to be turned on again when the change value reaches α2 in the next cycle.

[0069] Determination of the end of aging: During the entire aging process, the controller continuously monitors the food humidity. When comparing the current humidity of the food with the initial humidity and the change value reaches the preset third change value α3 (20 - 30%), the controller determines that the food aging is completed.

[0070] In some embodiments, when the target food ingredient is in an air-dried state, the controller is configured to control the fan to dehumidify the target food ingredient at a first rotation speed.

[0071] When the target food ingredient is in an air-dried state, control the fan to dehumidify the target food ingredient in a first operating state and start a timer.

[0072] When the timing time reaches the first cycle, based on the current humidity change value of the target food ingredient.

[0073] When the change value is less than or equal to the first threshold, control the blower to dehumidify the target food material at a second rotation speed within a first time period, or control the blower to dehumidify the target food material at a first rotation speed within a second time period; wherein, the first time period is less than the second time period.

[0074] In some embodiments, the first operating state is to operate for 10 - 20 minutes every 6 - 9 hours, and the second operating state is to operate for 10 - 20 minutes every 9 - 12 hours.

[0075] In some embodiments, the first rotation speed is 2000 - 2500 r / min, and the second rotation speed is 2500 - 3000 r / min.

[0076] In the air-drying state, the refrigerator can accurately quantify the water loss of the food material within a certain time by starting a timer and calculating the change value when the timing time reaches the first cycle. If the change value is less than or equal to the first threshold, it indicates that the water loss rate of the food material does not meet the expectation. At this time, the controller selects according to the actual situation to let the blower operate at a higher second rotation speed within the first time period, or maintain the first rotation speed within a longer second time period. This flexible control method can accurately adjust the water loss rate of the food material, avoid poor aging effect due to insufficient water loss of the food material, ensure an ideal weight loss state during the air-drying stage, lay a good foundation for subsequent aging, and guarantee the taste and flavor of the finally aged food material.

[0077] When it is detected that the change value does not meet the standard, the refrigerator selects to operate the blower at the second rotation speed. The higher rotation speed can accelerate the air flow speed and enhance the dehumidification effect, enabling the food material to quickly lose water within a shorter first time period and improving the dehumidification efficiency. Or select to operate the blower at the first rotation speed within the second time period. By extending the operation time of the blower and continuously and stably dehumidifying, it can also ensure that the water loss of the food material meets the expected standard. This way of adjusting the operation state of the blower according to the actual situation can achieve efficient dehumidification under different conditions and save the time cost of food material aging.

[0078] In some embodiments, when the target food material is in a moisturizing state, the evaporator is turned off within a preset time to moisturize the target food material, and the controller is configured to:

[0079] When the target food material is in a moisturizing state, control the blower to moisturize the target food material in the second operating state, and start the timer;

[0080] When the timing time reaches the second cycle, based on the current humidity change value of the target food material;

[0081] When the change value is less than the second threshold and the running time of the fan reaches the third time, change the running state of the fan from the second running state to the preset running state.

[0082] In the moisturizing state, by regularly calculating the humidity change value of the target food material (when the timing time reaches the second cycle), the water loss situation of the food material can be grasped in real time. When the change value is less than the second threshold, it indicates that the water loss of the food material is at a relatively low level and the moisturizing effect is good. This precise control based on the actual humidity change avoids the situation of over-moisturizing or insufficient moisturizing. For example, for some food materials that are more sensitive to humidity, such as dry-aged beef, precise moisturizing control can prevent the growth of microorganisms on its surface due to excessive humidity, and at the same time avoid the dryness of the meat quality due to insufficient moisturizing, maximizing the retention of the fresh taste and flavor of the food material and improving the quality of the food material.

[0083] Flexibly adjust the running state of the fan: When the running time of the fan reaches the third time, change the running state of the fan to the preset running state according to the change value situation. This operation can flexibly adjust the moisturizing intensity according to the actual needs of the food material. If the change value has been kept at a relatively low level within the third time, adjusting the fan to the preset running state may be to reduce the rotation speed of the fan or reduce the running frequency of the fan, avoiding the energy waste caused by the continuous high-intensity operation of the fan, and at the same time preventing the excessive water loss of the food material due to excessive ventilation, further ensuring the moisturizing effect.

[0084] In some embodiments, the controller is configured to:

[0085] When the change value is equal to or greater than the second threshold, turn off the evaporator, control the circulation fan to run in the third running state, and stop running when the temperature collected by the temperature sensor reaches the preset temperature;

[0086] When the timing time reaches the third cycle, based on the current humidity change value of the target food material;

[0087] When the change value is less than the second threshold, turn on the evaporator and control the circulation fan to run in the preset state. Among them, the third running state is to run for 1 - 3 minutes and stop for 3 - 15 minutes.

[0088] When the change value is equal to or greater than the second threshold, it indicates that the food material loses water quickly and moisturization needs to be strengthened. At this time, the evaporator is turned off and the circulation fan is controlled to operate in the third operating state, and the high-humidity air generated by the phase change of the defrost water is used to moisturize the food material. The operation stops until the temperature collected by the temperature sensor reaches the preset temperature, accurately controlling the moisturization process, avoiding the growth of microorganisms due to excessive humidity leading to food spoilage, and preventing insufficient moisturization from causing the food material to dry out excessively, ensuring that the food material matures in a suitable humidity environment, improving the taste and flavor of the food material. For example, when aging steak, appropriate humidity can make the internal moisture of the steak evenly distributed and the meat more tender and juicy. When the timing time reaches the third cycle, the change value is calculated again. If it is less than the second threshold, the evaporator is turned on and the circulation fan is controlled to operate in the preset state, flexibly adjusting the moisturization strategy according to the real-time state of the food material, further ensuring the stability of the aging effect.

[0089] In some embodiments, the controller is further configured to:

[0090] Obtain the current humidity of the target food material in real time;

[0091] Based on the current humidity change value of the target food material, when the change value reaches the third threshold, change the first mark of the target food material to the second mark, and stop executing the aging humidity control instruction.

[0092] In some embodiments, the aging compartment further includes an ion generator 130, and the ion generator 130 is arranged on one side of the aging fan; the controller is further configured to:

[0093] After receiving the aging humidity control instruction, control the ion generator 130 to operate for 20 - 30 min every 10 - 15 h, wherein the starting time of the ion generator is 1 - 10 s and the stopping time is 120 - 300 s.

[0094] The ion generator works according to the set time interval and operation mode, operates for 20 - 30 min every 10 - 15 h, and the starting time is 1 - 10 s and the stopping time is 120 - 300 s. During the operation, the ion generator will generate a large number of ions, such as negative ions and positive ions. Negative ions can combine with microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses in the air, destroy their cell membranes and internal structures, and make them lose their activity, thus achieving the effect of sterilization; positive ions can react with odor molecules in the air, decompose odors, and purify the air. In this way, the growth and reproduction of microorganisms in the aging compartment are effectively inhibited, the risk of food material contamination is reduced, the shelf life of the food material is extended, and the food material is ensured to maintain good quality during the aging process.

[0095] Inside the aging chamber, the ions generated by the ion generator can improve the air flow and distribution, making the air circulate more evenly. This helps to spread the high-humidity air generated by defrosting water more evenly to all corners of the aging chamber, ensuring that all parts of the ingredients can obtain good moisturizing effects. At the same time, the presence of ions can also promote the exchange of gases such as oxygen and carbon dioxide in the air, creating a more suitable gas environment for the aging of the ingredients. For example, an appropriate amount of oxygen can promote the growth and metabolism of some beneficial microorganisms, contributing to the generation of unique aging flavors and further optimizing the aging effect of the ingredients.

[0096] In some embodiments, the controller is further configured to:

[0097] Obtain the humidity of the aging chamber;

[0098] When the humidity is less than the first humidity and the food is in the moisturizing stage, increase the defrosting frequency;

[0099] When the humidity is greater than the first humidity or the target ingredient is in the air-drying stage, reduce the defrosting frequency.

[0100] By obtaining the humidity of the aging chamber and combining the aging stage of the ingredients to adjust the defrosting frequency, precise control of the humidity inside the aging chamber can be achieved. In the moisturizing stage, when the humidity is less than the first humidity, increasing the defrosting frequency can use the high-humidity air generated by the phase change of defrosting water to supplement moisture in a timely manner, ensuring that the humidity is maintained at an appropriate level; while when the humidity is greater than the first humidity or the ingredients are in the air-drying stage, reducing the defrosting frequency can avoid excessive humidity and effectively prevent problems with the quality of the ingredients caused by improper humidity, such as drying or moldy deterioration, providing a stable and suitable aging environment for the ingredients.

[0101] Precise humidity control creates favorable conditions for the aging of the ingredients. In the moisturizing stage, appropriately increasing the defrosting frequency to supplement humidity can prevent the ingredients from being overly air-dried and keep the meat tender and juicy; in the air-drying stage, reducing the defrosting frequency to lower the environmental humidity helps the ingredients lose water as expected and form good aging flavors. For example, when dry-aging beef, appropriate humidity control can enable the enzymes inside the beef to function better, decompose proteins and fats, generate rich flavor substances, and at the same time avoid surface cracking or mold, improving the taste and quality of the ingredients.

[0102] Dynamically adjusting the defrosting frequency according to the actual humidity and the aging stage of the ingredients avoids unnecessary defrosting operations, thereby optimizing energy utilization. When additional humidity is not required, reducing the defrosting frequency can reduce the energy consumption during the defrosting process, reduce the overall energy consumption of the refrigerator, improve energy utilization efficiency, and reduce the usage cost.

[0103] The present application provides a ripening humidity control method, which is applied to the refrigerator described in the above embodiment. The method includes:

[0104] Receiving a ripening humidity control instruction, and determining the target ingredient with the first label as the target ingredient;

[0105] Obtaining the humidity change information of the target ingredient, and determining the ripening state of the target ingredient; wherein, the ripening state includes an air-dried state and a moisturizing state;

[0106] When the target ingredient is in the air-dried state, controlling the blower to dehumidify the target ingredient at the first rotation speed;

[0107] When the target ingredient is in the moisturizing state, turning off the evaporator within a preset time to moisturize the target ingredient.

[0108] The present application can realize precise regulation of the humidity in the ripening compartment by obtaining the humidity of the ripening compartment and combining the ripening stage of the ingredients. In the moisturizing stage, when the humidity is less than the first humidity, the defrosting frequency is increased, and the high-humidity air generated by the phase change of the defrosting water is used to supplement water in time to ensure that the humidity is maintained at an appropriate level; while when the humidity is greater than the first humidity or the ingredients are in the air-dried stage, the defrosting frequency is reduced to avoid excessive humidity, effectively preventing ingredient quality problems caused by improper humidity, such as drying or mildew, and providing a stable and suitable ripening environment for the ingredients.

[0109] Precise humidity control creates favorable conditions for the ripening of ingredients. In the moisturizing stage, appropriately increasing the defrosting frequency to supplement humidity can prevent the ingredients from being overly air-dried and keep the meat tender and juicy; in the air-dried stage, reducing the defrosting frequency and lowering the environmental humidity helps the ingredients lose water as expected and form a good ripening flavor. For example, when dry-aging beef, appropriate humidity control can make the enzymes inside the beef play a better role, decompose proteins and fats, produce rich flavor substances, and at the same time avoid surface cracking or mildew, improving the taste and quality of the ingredients.

[0110] Embodiment

[0111] The user puts the cold fresh poultry or aquatic products to be ripened into the ripening drawer and activates the ripening function. After receiving the instruction, the refrigerator system starts to work.

[0112] 1. Ripening and air-drying stage: The refrigeration module works, and conveys cold air to cool the temperature of the cavity to the first temperature T1 (-8~

[0113] When the temperature in the aging area reaches 0 to 2°C, the aging fan starts to operate at the first frequency F1 (running for 10 to 20 minutes every 6 to 9 hours, with the fan speed being 2000 to 2500 r / min). The humidity sensor starts to detect the change in food humidity. When the change value within the preset first time period P1 (3 to 7 days) reaches the threshold α1 (5 to 10%, this change value is compared with the initial humidity), it is determined that the next moisturizing stage can be entered. If it does not reach, the fan speed needs to be increased to R1 (2500 to 3000 r / min) or the fan operation time t1 needs to be extended until the change value reaches α1, and then the current operation mode is exited.

[0114] 2. Aging and moisturizing stage: The aging fan operates at the second frequency F2 (running for 10 to 20 minutes every 9 to 12 hours, with the fan speed being 2000 to 2500 r / min). Starting from the moment when the moisturizing stage is entered, it is determined whether the change value within the second time period P2 (within 2 to 4 days) reaches the second change value threshold α2 (2 to 8%, this change value is compared with the humidity at the start of the second cycle). If it does not reach, moisturizing is not required. When the second change value threshold α2 is reached, moisturizing starts. The moisturizing method is as follows: When the refrigeration of the refrigerator evaporator is turned off, the circulation fan in the refrigerator air duct is delayed to turn off, so that the high-humidity air generated during the phase change of the defrosting water is blown to the aging area through the circulation fan in the air duct until the temperature collected by the temperature sensor near the evaporator reaches the preset temperature Tt (-1 to 3°C). The circulation fan can be intermittently turned on, such as turning on for 1 to 3 minutes and then stopping for 3 to 15 minutes. When the change value threshold is less than α2, moisturizing stops and starts again when the change value is detected to reach the threshold α2 within the next cycle.

[0115] 3. Judgment of the end of aging: Comparing the food humidity with the initial humidity, when the change value reaches the preset third change value α3 (20 to 30%), it is determined that the aging is completed.

[0116] 4. Sterilization logic during aging: The ion generator operates according to the preset operation mode, that is, running for t2 (20 to 30 minutes) every third time period P3 (10 to 15 hours). During the t2 time, the ion generator is turned on for 1 to 10 seconds and then stops for 120 to 300 seconds.

[0117] As can be seen from the above embodiments, the present application provides a refrigerator and an aging humidity control method. The aging humidity control method includes: receiving an aging humidity control instruction, and determining the target food material with the first label; obtaining the humidity change information of the target food material to determine the aging state of the target food material; wherein the aging state includes an air-dried state and a moisture-preserving state; when the target food material is in the air-dried state, controlling the blower to dehumidify the target food material at a first rotation speed; when the target food material is in the moisture-preserving state, closing the evaporator within a preset time to moisturize the target food material. The present application ensures that the food material can maintain appropriate moisture during the aging process and avoid the dry and tough texture of the meat caused by excessive air-drying by precisely controlling the humidity in the air-dried and moisture-preserving stages. This control method helps the food material better absorb and release moisture, thereby generating a better aging flavor. The present application uses the high-humidity air generated by the phase change of the defrosting water for moisture preservation, avoiding the addition of additional equipment, simplifying the structural design, making humidity control more convenient, and improving the user experience.

[0118] For the similar parts between the embodiments provided in the present application, reference can be made to each other. The specific embodiments provided above are only several examples under the general concept of the present application and do not constitute a limitation on the protection scope of the present application. For those skilled in the art, any other embodiments extended based on the solution of the present application without creative efforts belong to the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A refrigerator, characterized in that, The refrigerator includes: A refrigerating chamber, which includes an evaporator and a refrigerating air duct; a circulation fan and an air outlet are provided in the refrigerating air duct; An aging chamber, which is arranged in the refrigerating chamber; the aging chamber includes a drawer, a bottom sealing frame around the drawer, a cover plate, a refrigerating air supply port, an aging fan, a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor; the refrigerating air supply port is arranged at the rear end of the cover plate and is connected to the refrigerating air duct of the refrigerating chamber; the aging fan is arranged on the cover plate on one side of the refrigerating air supply port to suck the cold air from the refrigerating air supply port and then blow it into the drawer; the temperature sensor is arranged on one side close to the evaporator; the humidity sensor is arranged inside the drawer; A controller, which is arranged in the refrigerator, and the controller is configured to: Receive an aging humidity control instruction and determine the target food materials with the first mark as the target food materials; Obtain the humidity change information of the target food materials and determine the aging state of the target food materials; wherein, the aging state includes an air-dried state and a moisture-preserving state; When the target food materials are in the air-dried state, control the fan to dehumidify the target food materials at the first rotation speed; When the target food materials are in the moisture-preserving state, turn off the evaporator within a preset time to moisturize the target food materials.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the target food materials are in the air-dried state, control the fan to dehumidify the target food materials at the first rotation speed, and the controller is configured to: When the target food materials are in the air-dried state, control the fan to dehumidify the target food materials in the first operating state and start a timer; When the timing time reaches the first period, based on the current humidity change value of the target food materials; When the change value is less than or equal to the first threshold, control the fan to dehumidify the target food materials at the second rotation speed within the first time, or control the fan to dehumidify the target food materials at the first rotation speed within the second time; wherein, the first time is less than the second time.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 2, characterized in that, When the target food materials are in the moisture-preserving state, turn off the evaporator within a preset time to moisturize the target food materials, and the controller is configured to: When the target food materials are in the moisture-preserving state, control the fan to moisturize the target food materials in the second operating state and start a timer; When the timing time reaches the second period, based on the current change value humidity change value of the target food materials; When the change value is less than the second threshold and after the operating time of the fan reaches the third time, change the operating state of the fan from the second operating state to the preset operating state.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 3, characterized in that, The controller is configured to: When the change value is equal to or greater than the second threshold, turn off the evaporator, control the circulation fan to operate in the third operating state, and stop operating when the temperature collected by the temperature sensor reaches the preset temperature; When the timing time reaches the third period, based on the current humidity change value of the target food materials; When the change value is less than the second threshold, turn on the evaporator and control the circulation fan to operate in the preset state.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 4, characterized in that, The controller is further configured to: Obtain the current humidity of the target food materials in real time; Based on the current humidity change value of the target food ingredient, when the change value reaches the third threshold, change the first mark of the target food ingredient to the second mark, and stop executing the aging humidity control instruction.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 4, characterized in that, The aging compartment further includes an ion generator, and the ion generator is arranged on one side of the aging fan; the controller is further configured to: After receiving the aging humidity control instruction, control the ion generator to operate for 20 - 30 minutes every 10 - 15 hours, wherein the startup time of the ion generator is 1 - 10 seconds, and the stop time is 120 - 300 seconds.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 4, wherein, The first operating state is to operate for 10 - 20 minutes every 6 - 9 hours, and the second operating state is to operate for 10 - 20 minutes every 9 - 12 hours.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first rotation speed is 2000 - 2500 r / min, and the second rotation speed is 2500 - 3000 r / min.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 4, wherein, The controller is further configured to: Obtain the humidity of the aging compartment; When the humidity is less than the first humidity and the food is in the moisturizing stage, increase the defrosting frequency; When the humidity is greater than the first humidity or the target food ingredient is in the air-drying stage, reduce the defrosting frequency.

10. A method for controlling the aging humidity, characterized in that, The method is applied to the refrigerator according to claim 1, and the method includes: Receive the aging humidity control instruction, and determine the food ingredient with the first mark as the target food ingredient; Obtain the humidity change information of the target food ingredient, and determine the aging state of the target food ingredient; wherein, the aging state includes the air-drying state and the moisturizing state; When the target food ingredient is in the air-drying state, control the fan to dehumidify the target food ingredient at the first rotation speed; When the target food ingredient is in the moisturizing state, turn off the evaporator within a preset time to moisturize the target food ingredient.

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