Refrigerator time-sharing power utilization method and refrigerator

Abstract

The invention provides a refrigerator time-sharing power utilization method and a refrigerator. The method comprises the steps that when it is detected that a defrosting condition is met, a defrosting request is sent to a cloud end; after the cloud side receives the defrosting request, the electricity utilization time period corresponding to the current refrigerator is judged; when the refrigerator is in the electricity utilization peak section, first time from the end of the electricity utilization peak section is calculated, and a delayed defrosting instruction is sent to the refrigerator; and after the refrigerator receives the delayed defrosting instruction, the defrosting function after the first time is operated in a delayed mode. The defrosting operation is kept away from the electricity utilization peak period, and defrosting is delayed in the electricity utilization peak period and part of flat periods, so that the conflict between the defrosting operation and electricity utilization peak period is avoided, the impact on a power grid caused by excessive instantaneous power due to defrosting is reduced, and the service life of electrical elements of the refrigerator is prolonged. The defrosting time is reasonably arranged in the electricity utilization valley section, electricity resources in the valley section can be fully utilized, the defrosting effect of the refrigerator is guaranteed, and the good refrigeration performance of the refrigerator is maintained.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of refrigerators, and in particular, to a method for a refrigerator to use electricity at different times and a refrigerator. Background Art

[0002] With the rapid development of China's economy, the electricity demand of the whole society has been continuously rising. Affected by the laws of industrial production and the daily routines of residents, the peak and off-peak periods of electricity consumption can be clearly distinguished in a day. During the peak electricity consumption period, the electricity demand increases sharply, often resulting in a situation of supply falling short of demand, bringing huge pressure to the power grid; while during the off-peak electricity consumption period, there is an oversupply of electricity, causing waste of energy. To alleviate this imbalance between electricity supply and demand, the state implements a time-of-use electricity policy, raising the electricity price during peak hours and lowering it during off-peak hours, so as to guide users to reasonably adjust their electricity consumption behaviors, transfer the electricity consumption of some adjustable loads to off-peak hours, achieve "peak shaving and valley filling" of electric power resources, and improve the operation efficiency of the power grid and energy utilization rate.

[0003] In the household electricity consumption scenario, the refrigerator is a commonly used electrical appliance. To ensure the refrigeration efficiency of the refrigerator during refrigeration operation, it is necessary to start a heater to melt the frost layer on the evaporator every once in a while. The power of the defrost heater is usually about 200W, which belongs to a relatively high-power load. If the defrost period coincides with the peak electricity consumption period, users will undoubtedly need to pay more electricity bills than usual. Taking daily household use as an example, frequent defrosting during peak hours will significantly increase the monthly electricity bill, increasing the burden of household electricity costs.

[0004] However, traditional refrigerators generally have technical limitations. Since they do not have a time recognition function and cannot obtain the current electricity consumption period information, they cannot adjust electricity consumption behaviors such as defrosting according to the difference in peak-valley electricity prices, and cannot achieve time-of-use electricity consumption. Although the country has vigorously promoted the intelligent strategy and more and more refrigerators have started to have an Internet connection function and can obtain time information through a cloud server, this inherent defect of traditional refrigerators still restricts their application in the field of time-of-use electricity consumption, and new technical solutions are urgently needed to solve this problem to achieve intelligent time-of-use electricity consumption of refrigerators and reduce users' electricity costs. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a method for a refrigerator to use electricity at different times and a refrigerator to solve the problem that existing refrigerators cannot achieve intelligent time-of-use electricity consumption and users' electricity costs are relatively high.

[0006] In a first aspect, this application provides a method for a refrigerator to use electricity at different times, and the method includes:

[0007] When it is detected that the defrosting condition is met, send a defrosting request to the cloud;

[0008] After receiving the defrost request, the cloud determines the electricity consumption period corresponding to the current refrigerator; the electricity consumption period includes a flat electricity consumption period, a valley electricity consumption period, and a peak electricity consumption period;

[0009] When the refrigerator is in the peak electricity consumption period, calculate the first time until the end of the peak electricity consumption period, and send a delayed defrost instruction to the refrigerator;

[0010] After receiving the delayed defrost instruction, the refrigerator delays the operation of the defrost function after the first time.

[0011] In some possible implementation manners, after determining the electricity consumption period corresponding to the current refrigerator, it further includes:

[0012] When the refrigerator is in the flat electricity consumption period, calculate the second time until the end of the flat electricity consumption period, and send a delayed defrost instruction to the refrigerator;

[0013] After receiving the delayed defrost instruction, the refrigerator delays the operation of the defrost function after the second time.

[0014] In some possible implementation manners, after determining the electricity consumption period corresponding to the current refrigerator, it further includes:

[0015] When the refrigerator is in the valley electricity consumption period, take the time one hour before the end of the valley electricity consumption period as the target time, and calculate the third time from the current time to the target time;

[0016] When the third time is greater than a preset threshold, send a delayed defrost instruction to the refrigerator;

[0017] After receiving the delayed defrost instruction, the refrigerator delays the operation of the defrost function after the third time.

[0018] In some possible implementation manners, the method includes:

[0019] When the third time is less than or equal to the preset threshold, the cloud sends a defrost instruction to the refrigerator;

[0020] Based on the defrost instruction, the refrigerator operates the defrost function.

[0021] In some possible implementation manners, a high-precision temperature sensor is installed at the positions of the evaporator and the refrigeration pipeline of the refrigerator, and the method includes:

[0022] Obtain the temperature of the temperature sensor in real time. When the time for which the temperature of the temperature sensor is lower than -25°C exceeds the fourth time, or when the temperature difference between the inlet and outlet of the evaporator exceeds 8°C, it is determined that the defrost condition is met.

[0023] In some possible implementation manners, a humidity sensor is installed inside the refrigerator, and the method includes:

[0024] Obtain the humidity of the humidity sensor in real time. When the time when the humidity is lower than 30% exceeds the fifth time, it is determined that the defrosting condition is met;

[0025] Alternatively, when the temperature of the temperature sensor is lower than -25°C and the humidity is lower than 30%, it is determined that the defrosting condition is met.

[0026] In some possible implementation manners, the method further includes:

[0027] Record the number of times the refrigerator door is opened;

[0028] When the number of openings exceeds the preset number within the preset time interval, and when the temperature of the temperature sensor is lower than -20°C and the humidity is lower than 40%, it is determined that the defrosting condition is met.

[0029] In some possible implementation manners, an energy storage device is provided in the refrigerator, and the energy storage device charges and stores energy during the off-peak period of electricity consumption;

[0030] When a defrosting instruction is received, if it is currently in the peak or flat period of electricity consumption, use the electric energy of the energy storage device for defrosting;

[0031] If the power of the energy storage device is insufficient, perform defrosting after the energy storage device is fully charged at the end of the off-peak or flat period.

[0032] In some possible implementation manners, the method further includes:

[0033] Establish a historical defrosting database, and record the trigger time, ambient temperature, humidity, operation duration, and number of door openings and closings for each defrosting;

[0034] Analyze the historical defrosting database through a machine learning algorithm to predict the probability distribution of future defrosting requirements;

[0035] When the predicted defrosting probability exceeds the preset probability value, plan the defrosting time and select to perform defrosting at the end of the off-peak or flat period of electricity consumption.

[0036] In a second aspect, the present application provides a refrigerator configured with the refrigerator time-sharing power consumption method described in the first aspect.

[0037] As can be seen from the above, the present application provides a method for a refrigerator to use electricity at different times and a refrigerator. The method includes sending a defrost request to the cloud when it is detected that the defrost condition is met; after receiving the defrost request, the cloud determines the electricity consumption period corresponding to the current refrigerator; the electricity consumption period includes a flat electricity consumption period, a valley electricity consumption period, and a peak electricity consumption period; when the refrigerator is in the peak electricity consumption period, calculate the first time until the end of the peak electricity consumption period, and send a delayed defrost instruction to the refrigerator; after receiving the delayed defrost instruction, the refrigerator delays the operation of the defrost function after the first time. By avoiding the defrost operation during the peak electricity consumption period and making full use of the low electricity price during the valley period, the electricity bill expenditure of users is directly reduced. Delaying defrosting during the peak electricity consumption period and some flat periods avoids the conflict between the defrost operation and peak electricity consumption, reduces the impact on the power grid caused by excessive instantaneous power due to defrosting, and is beneficial to extending the service life of the electrical components of the refrigerator. Reasonably arranging the defrost time during the valley electricity consumption period can make full use of the power resources during the valley period, ensure the defrost effect of the refrigerator, and maintain the good refrigeration performance of the refrigerator. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] 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, without creative efforts, other drawings can also be obtained based on these drawings.

[0039] Figure 1 It is a flowchart of the method for a refrigerator to use electricity at different times provided by the present application;

[0040] Figure 2 It is a flowchart of the method for a refrigerator to use electricity at different times provided in Embodiment 1 of the present application;

[0041] Figure 3 It is a flowchart of the method for a refrigerator to use electricity at different times provided in Embodiment 2 of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0042] The embodiments will be described in detail below, and the examples are shown in the drawings. When the following description refers to the 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 only examples of systems and methods consistent with some aspects of the present application detailed in the claims.

[0043] With the rapid development of my country's economy, the electricity demand of the whole society continues to rise. Affected by the laws of industrial production and the daily routines of residents, there are obvious peak and valley periods in a day. During the peak period, the demand for electricity increases sharply, and there is often a shortage of supply, which puts great pressure on the power grid; while during the valley period, there is an oversupply of electricity, resulting in energy waste. In order to alleviate this imbalance between electricity supply and demand, the state implements a time-of-use electricity policy, raising electricity prices during peak periods and lowering electricity prices during valley periods, so as to guide users to reasonably adjust their electricity consumption behavior, transfer some adjustable load electricity consumption to valley periods, realize the "peak shaving and valley filling" of power resources, and improve the operation efficiency and energy utilization rate of the power grid.

[0044] In the household electricity usage scenario, refrigerators are commonly used electrical appliances. In order to ensure the refrigeration efficiency of the refrigerator during refrigeration operation, it is necessary to start the heater to melt the frost on the evaporator at regular intervals. The power of the defrost heater is usually around 200W, which is a relatively high-power load. If the defrost period coincides with the peak electricity consumption period, users will undoubtedly need to pay more electricity bills than usual. Taking daily household use as an example, frequent defrosting during peak hours will significantly increase the monthly electricity bill, increasing the burden of household electricity costs.

[0045] However, traditional refrigerators generally have technical limitations. Since they do not have the time recognition function, they cannot obtain the current electricity consumption period information, and cannot adjust the defrosting and other electricity consumption behaviors according to the difference in peak and valley electricity prices, and cannot realize time-sharing electricity consumption. Although the country has vigorously promoted the intelligent strategy, more and more refrigerators have begun to have networking functions and can obtain time information with the help of cloud servers, but this inherent defect of traditional refrigerators still restricts their application in the field of time-sharing electricity consumption. New technical solutions are urgently needed to solve this problem, so as to realize the intelligent time-sharing electricity consumption of refrigerators and reduce users' electricity costs.

[0046] Based on this, Figure 1 As shown, the present application provides a method for using electricity in a refrigerator in a time-sharing manner, the method comprising:

[0047] When it is detected that the defrost conditions are met, a defrost request is sent to the cloud;

[0048] After receiving the defrost request, the cloud determines the power consumption period corresponding to the current refrigerator; the power consumption period includes a level consumption period, a valley consumption period, and a peak consumption period;

[0049] When the refrigerator is in a peak power consumption period, calculating the first time from the end of the peak power consumption period, and sending a delayed defrosting instruction to the refrigerator;

[0050] After receiving the delayed defrost instruction, the refrigerator will delay the defrost function for the first time.

[0051] The controller in the refrigerator obtains data such as the running time, the number of door openings and closings, the temperature, the humidity, and the frosting thickness in real time to determine whether the defrosting condition is met; when the defrosting condition is met, the refrigerator sends a defrosting request to the cloud, and after receiving the defrosting request, the cloud determines the electricity consumption period corresponding to the current refrigerator.

[0052] The off-peak electricity period, the flat electricity period, and the peak electricity period can be input into the refrigerator by the user or the manufacturer, or can be obtained by the refrigerator from the cloud server or the background server through its own communicator.

[0053] During the peak electricity period, when the electricity demand is high, the refrigerator delays the start of defrosting, reducing the electricity load during this period and alleviating the power grid pressure; while during the off-peak electricity period, the electricity supply is relatively excessive, and arranging the defrosting operation can make full use of this idle electricity, improving the overall energy utilization efficiency of the power system and conforming to the sustainable development energy strategy.

[0054] In some embodiments, after determining the electricity consumption period corresponding to the current refrigerator, it further includes:

[0055] When the refrigerator is in the flat electricity period, calculate the second time until the end of the flat electricity period, and send a delayed defrosting instruction to the refrigerator;

[0056] After receiving the delayed defrosting instruction, the refrigerator delays the defrosting function after running for the second time.

[0057] When the refrigerator is in the flat electricity period, calculate the time until the end of the flat period, send a delayed defrosting instruction to the refrigerator, and let the refrigerator defrost at the end of the flat period or during the off-peak period. During the flat electricity period, the electricity demand is relatively high, but not as tense as during the peak electricity period. Concentrating the defrosting operation at the end of the flat period avoids increasing the electricity load at the beginning of the flat period, helps to balance the electricity demand of the power grid during this period, enables a more reasonable distribution of electric power resources, and improves the energy utilization efficiency of the entire power system. Because the defrosting process usually consumes a large amount of electricity, the relatively low electricity price during the off-peak period or at the end of the flat period can be utilized to reduce the electricity bill.

[0058] The defrosting process will increase the instantaneous power of the refrigerator. If defrosting is frequently carried out at the beginning of the flat period, it may cause additional stress and loss to the electrical components of the refrigerator. By delaying defrosting, the number of defrosting times at the beginning of the flat period is reduced, this kind of loss is reduced, which helps to extend the service life of the refrigerator, improve the stability and reliability of the refrigerator, and reduce the risk of equipment failure caused by defrosting.

[0059] In some embodiments, after determining the electricity consumption period corresponding to the current refrigerator, it further includes:

[0060] When the refrigerator is in the off-peak electricity period, take the time one hour before the end of the off-peak electricity period as the target time, and calculate the third time from the current time to the target time;

[0061] When the third time is greater than a preset threshold, send a delayed defrosting instruction to the refrigerator; where the third time is 60 minutes and the preset threshold is 0.

[0062] After receiving the delayed defrosting instruction, the refrigerator delays the operation of the defrosting function for the third time.

[0063] When the third time is less than or equal to the preset threshold, the cloud sends a defrosting instruction to the refrigerator.

[0064] The refrigerator runs the defrosting function based on the defrosting instruction.

[0065] The operating mode of the refrigerator can be set according to the electricity price period through a mobile application or other smart devices. For example, during the valley period, the temperature setting value of the refrigerator can be appropriately reduced so that the refrigerator cools more during the valley period and lowers the food temperature a little more. In this way, during the flat period and the peak period, since the food temperature in the refrigerator is relatively low, the refrigeration demand is relatively reduced, thereby reducing power consumption. At the same time, some smart refrigerators can also automatically adjust power consumption according to the grid load, and relevant functions can be enabled to cooperate with the optimal dispatching of the power system.

[0066] In addition, some operations that may increase the load of the refrigerator can be concentrated during the valley period, such as putting more hot food into the refrigerator, organizing the interior of the refrigerator to improve refrigeration efficiency, etc. Avoid frequently opening and closing the refrigerator door during the flat period and the peak period, because each time the door is opened, hot air will enter, increasing the refrigeration burden and power consumption of the refrigerator. In addition, according to the household electricity consumption habits, other high-power electrical appliances can be used as much as possible during the valley period, so that the refrigerator has a more sufficient power supply during the valley period and reduces its energy consumption during the flat period and the peak period.

[0067] By calculating the time from the current moment to one hour before the end of the valley period (i.e., the third time) and comparing it with the preset threshold, the defrosting time is flexibly determined. When the third time is greater than the preset threshold, defrosting is delayed, allowing the refrigerator to have more sufficient time for defrosting preparation during the valley period and avoiding starting defrosting after the end of the valley period and entering the high electricity price period. When the third time is less than or equal to the preset threshold, a defrosting instruction is sent immediately to ensure that defrosting is completed during the valley period, effectively utilizing the low-price electricity during the valley period and avoiding the normal use of the refrigerator being affected by too long defrosting time.

[0068] Refrigerators of different types and usage environments have different defrosting cycles. For ordinary direct-cool refrigerators, the defrosting cycle may be about one week, while for air-cooled refrigerators, the defrosting cycle may be shorter, about 3 - 5 days. If the defrosting cycle is shorter, it means the refrigerator needs to defrost more frequently, and then the preset threshold can be set relatively small, such as 1 hour, so as to arrange the defrosting time more flexibly within the valley period; if the defrosting cycle is longer, the threshold can be appropriately increased to 1.5 - 2 hours to ensure that there is enough time for the refrigerator to complete the defrosting preparation and defrost within the valley period.

[0069] The defrosting duration of the refrigerator is usually about 0.5 - 1.5 hours, specifically depending on factors such as the capacity of the refrigerator and the power of the refrigeration system. To ensure that the defrosting process can be successfully completed within the valley period, the preset threshold should be greater than the average defrosting duration. For example, if the average defrosting of the refrigerator takes 1 hour, then the preset threshold can be set to 1.5 hours. This can not only ensure enough time for defrosting within the valley period but also prevent the defrosting time from being too early, resulting in the refrigerator waiting for defrosting for a long time and affecting the refrigeration effect.

[0070] The length of the valley period also affects the setting of the preset threshold. If the valley period is short, such as only 3 - 4 hours, to make full use of the valley-period electricity price, the preset threshold should be set smaller to ensure that defrosting can be completed before the end of the valley period. If the valley period is long, such as 6 - 8 hours, the preset threshold can be appropriately increased to make the defrosting operation more flexibly distributed within the valley period and avoid defrosting too early, which may affect the refrigeration efficiency of the refrigerator.

[0071] This application arranges the defrosting time reasonably, avoids unnecessary defrosting operations during non-valley periods, reduces the thermal expansion and contraction stress effects on components such as the refrigerator evaporator and refrigeration pipelines during defrosting, reduces component wear, and helps extend the service life of the refrigerator. From the overall perspective of the power grid, this method makes the defrosting operation of the refrigerator concentrated in the valley period, helps balance the power grid load, and improves the energy utilization efficiency of the power grid at different times. During the valley period, the power system usually has surplus generating capacity. At this time, performing relatively power-consuming operations such as defrosting can make full use of this surplus capacity and reduce energy waste.

[0072] In some embodiments, high-precision temperature sensors are installed at the positions of the refrigerator evaporator and refrigeration pipelines, and the method includes:

[0073] Obtain the temperature of the temperature sensor in real time. When the time for the temperature of the temperature sensor to be lower than -25°C exceeds the fourth time, or when the temperature difference between the inlet and outlet of the evaporator exceeds 8°C, it is determined that the defrosting condition is met.

[0074] Traditional refrigerator defrosting is often based on a fixed time cycle, which may lead to untimely defrosting or excessive defrosting. By monitoring the temperature sensor data in real time and using the duration when the temperature is below -25°C and the temperature difference between the inlet and outlet of the evaporator as the judgment basis, the defrosting requirement can be determined more accurately. When the surface temperature of the evaporator is too low and lasts for a certain period of time, or the temperature difference between the inlet and outlet is too large, it indicates that frosting has affected the heat exchange efficiency. At this time, defrosting operation can effectively restore the refrigeration performance and ensure that the refrigerator is always in the best working state.

[0075] The accurate defrosting judgment mechanism can prevent the defrosting program from being started when the refrigerator does not need defrosting, and reduce the ineffective running time of the defrosting heater. The defrosting process consumes electric energy, and reducing the number of defrosting times can reduce the overall energy consumption of the refrigerator. Compared with the refrigerator with fixed-cycle defrosting, the refrigerator adopting this accurate judgment method in this application can save a certain proportion of electricity every year, which conforms to the development trend of energy conservation and environmental protection. Frequent defrosting will cause stress effects of thermal expansion and contraction on components such as the evaporator and refrigeration pipeline of the refrigerator. In the long run, it may lead to component aging and damage. By accurately judging the defrosting conditions and reducing unnecessary defrosting times, the loss of these components is reduced, and the overall service life of the refrigerator is extended. Reducing the large current impact during defrosting also has a protective effect on the electrical system of the refrigerator and reduces the probability of electrical faults.

[0076] In some embodiments, a humidity sensor is installed inside the refrigerator, and the method includes:

[0077] Obtain the humidity of the humidity sensor in real time, and when the time when the humidity is below 30% exceeds the fifth time, it is judged that the defrosting condition is satisfied;

[0078] Or, when the temperature of the temperature sensor is below -25°C and the humidity is below 30%, it is judged that the defrosting condition is satisfied.

[0079] When the humidity inside the refrigerator is below 30% and lasts for more than the fifth time, this is likely to mean that a large amount of moisture has condensed into frost on the surface of the evaporator, resulting in a decrease in the humidity inside the box. Combining the temperature sensor data, judging defrosting when the temperature is below -25°C and the humidity is below 30% comprehensively considers the combined effect of temperature and humidity on frosting. This multi-parameter judgment method is more accurate than judging defrosting based on temperature alone, avoiding the situation of untimely or excessive defrosting caused by misjudgment of a single factor, and ensuring that the evaporator of the refrigerator always maintains good heat exchange efficiency.

[0080] During the defrosting process, the defrosting heater needs to consume electric energy, and frequent defrosting will increase the energy consumption. By accurately judging the defrosting timing and reducing the defrosting frequency, the purpose of energy conservation is achieved. The thermal shock during defrosting will cause certain losses to components such as the evaporator and refrigeration pipeline of the refrigerator. Reducing the number of defrosting times helps to extend the service life of these components, reduce the maintenance cost of the refrigerator, and improve the overall reliability of the refrigerator.

[0081] In some embodiments, the method further comprises:

[0082] Recording the number of times the refrigerator door is opened;

[0083] When the number of openings within a preset time interval exceeds a preset number, and when the temperature of the temperature sensor is lower than -20°C and the humidity is lower than 40%, it is determined that the defrosting condition is met.

[0084] The number of times the refrigerator door is opened reflects how frequently the refrigerator is used. Frequent door opening will cause a large amount of hot air to enter the refrigerator, increase the humidity inside the box, and accelerate the frosting of the evaporator. When the number of openings exceeds the preset number within the preset time interval, and the temperature is below -20℃ and the humidity is below 40%, defrosting is judged, which comprehensively considers the impact of various actual usage factors on frosting. This is more accurate than simply judging defrosting based on a fixed time or a single environmental parameter. It can timely discover frosting problems caused by frequent use and avoid defrosting that affects the refrigeration effect of the refrigerator. Timely defrosting can effectively prevent the frost layer on the surface of the evaporator from being too thick, affecting the heat exchange efficiency, and then causing temperature fluctuations in the refrigerator. A stable temperature and humidity environment is essential for food preservation. Accurate defrosting control can reduce the deterioration of food due to temperature fluctuations and water loss. For ingredients with high requirements for preservation, such as meat and seafood, this defrosting judgment method can better maintain their freshness and taste, extend the shelf life of food, and reduce food waste.

[0085] The traditional fixed-cycle defrosting method may start the defrosting process when the refrigerator does not actually need defrosting, wasting energy. However, this defrosting method based on the number of door openings, temperature and humidity will only perform defrosting when it is really needed, reducing the frequency of defrosting and thus reducing energy consumption during the defrosting process.

[0086] In some embodiments, an energy storage device is provided in the refrigerator, and the energy storage device is charged and stores energy during the electricity consumption valley period;

[0087] When a defrost instruction is received, if the power consumption is currently in a peak period or a flat period, the power of the energy storage device is used for defrosting;

[0088] If the energy storage device is insufficiently charged, defrost will be performed after the energy storage device is fully charged at the end of the valley or flat period.

[0089] Energy storage devices are used to store low-cost electricity during valley hours, and the stored electricity is used for defrosting during peak or flat hours, which can completely avoid high electricity prices during peak hours. Energy storage devices make refrigerators more independent and flexible in electricity use. Even when there is a short-term fluctuation or failure in the power grid, as long as the energy storage device has enough power, the refrigerator can still complete the defrosting operation normally, avoiding defrosting interruptions caused by power outages or unstable voltage, which affects the refrigerator's refrigeration effect and food preservation. This is especially important in some areas with unstable power supply.

[0090] Using the energy storage device for defrosting during the peak or flat period reduces the large current drawn by the refrigerator directly from the power grid during peak hours, reduces the impact on the grid voltage, and also alleviates the working burden on the refrigerator's own power system and electrical components during peak hours. This reduces the losses of the equipment caused by peak electricity consumption, extends the service life of the refrigerator, and improves the stability of equipment operation.

[0091] The application of the energy storage device helps to further optimize the grid load curve. When charging during the valley period, it increases the power demand during the valley period, making the grid load more balanced; when using the stored electrical energy for defrosting during the peak or flat period, it reduces the power demand during these two periods, alleviates the peak pressure on the grid, and has a positive significance for the stable operation of the grid and the efficient allocation of power resources.

[0092] In some embodiments, the method further includes:

[0093] Establishing a historical defrost database to record the trigger time, ambient temperature, humidity, operating duration, and number of door openings and closings for each defrost;

[0094] Analyzing the historical defrost database through machine learning algorithms to predict the probability distribution of future defrost requirements;

[0095] When the predicted defrost probability exceeds a preset probability value, planning the defrost time and selecting the end of the valley or flat period of electricity consumption to perform defrosting.

[0096] The controller of the refrigerator extracts key data from the historical defrost database, including the defrost trigger time, ambient temperature, humidity, operating duration, number of door openings and closings, etc. Clean the data to handle missing values and outliers. For example, if there is an obviously unreasonable value for the ambient temperature in a certain record, the data quality can be ensured by data interpolation method or deleting abnormal data. At the same time, encode the time data, such as converting the defrost trigger time into a value in days and hours for subsequent analysis.

[0097] The controller constructs new features based on the original data to better reflect the relationship between defrost requirements and various factors. Calculate the average number of door openings and closings within a certain time window, the change trend of the operating duration, etc. Information such as season and holiday can also be combined, because these factors may affect the usage frequency of the refrigerator and defrost requirements. Merge these features with the original data to form a complete feature set.

[0098] The model selected by the refrigerator can be a time series model, a machine learning model, or a deep learning model.

[0099] Time series model: If the defrosting demand has an obvious time periodicity, autoregressive integrated moving average model (ARIMA) and its variants can be selected. These models can capture the trends, seasonality and periodic characteristics in the time series.

[0100] By analyzing the historical defrosting time series, determine the parameters of the model and predict the time points and probabilities of future defrosting demands.

[0101] Machine learning model: For defrosting demand prediction affected by multiple factors, models such as random forest and gradient boosting trees (such as XGBoost, LightGBM) are more applicable. These models can handle non-linear relationships and comprehensively analyze multiple features. Using the processed feature set as input and the defrosting demand (which can be represented as a binary classification label indicating whether defrosting is needed, or a continuous label such as defrosting time interval) as output, train the model to learn the relationship between features and defrosting demands.

[0102] Deep learning model: Long short-term memory network (LSTM) and gated recurrent unit (GRU) are suitable for processing data with time series characteristics and can learn long-term dependencies in the data. Divide the time series data according to a certain time step and input it into the LSTM or GRU model for training. Deep learning models perform well in dealing with complex data relationships, but require more data and computing resources.

[0103] Divide the sorted dataset into a training set and a test set according to a certain proportion, such as 70% of the data for training and 30% of the data for testing. Use the training set to train the selected model and adjust the hyperparameters of the model to optimize the model performance. For deep learning models, appropriate parameters such as learning rate and number of training epochs also need to be set. During the training process, use the loss function to measure the difference between the model prediction result and the true label, and use the optimization algorithm to continuously adjust the model parameters to minimize the loss function.

[0104] Use the test set to evaluate the trained model. Commonly used evaluation metrics include accuracy, recall, F1 value, mean squared error (MSE), etc. Select appropriate metrics according to the type of prediction task. If the model evaluation result is not satisfactory, try to adjust the model structure, hyperparameters, or further optimize data processing and feature engineering. The cross-validation method can also be adopted, dividing the dataset into multiple subsets, training and evaluating multiple times to more accurately evaluate the performance and stability of the model.

[0105] For a trained and evaluated model, by inputting future predicted data such as environmental temperature and humidity (which can be obtained through weather forecasts and other means), as well as estimated data on the running duration and door opening / closing times of the refrigerator, the model can output a prediction result of future defrosting requirements. For binary classification problems, the model outputs the probability value of defrosting requirements; for regression problems, the probability distribution of indicators such as defrosting time intervals can be obtained by performing probability density estimation on the prediction results. Regularly update the historical defrosting database and retrain the model to adapt to changes in the environment and usage habits, and maintain the accuracy of the prediction.

[0106] The refrigerator predicts defrosting requirements with the help of machine learning algorithms, enabling more accurate planning of defrosting times. Compared with adjusting defrosting operations only based on real-time defrosting requirements and electricity consumption periods, advance planning can ensure to a greater extent that defrosting is carried out at the end of the valley period or flat period, further reducing electricity costs. For example, by analyzing historical data, it is found that the door opening / closing is frequent during a certain period in summer and the defrosting requirement increases. The system arranges defrosting in the valley period in advance, avoiding high electricity bills caused by defrosting during peak hours. In the long run, it can save more electricity costs for users.

[0107] Predicting defrosting requirements in advance and reasonably planning defrosting times can make the internal temperature of the refrigerator more stable. Avoiding frequent and unnecessary defrosting operations reduces the temperature fluctuations caused by defrosting, which is beneficial to the preservation and storage of food. Reasonably arranging defrosting times enables the refrigeration system of the refrigerator to operate more efficiently, reduces the impact of defrosting on the refrigeration system, extends the service life of the refrigerator, and reduces maintenance costs. Enabling the refrigerator to have the ability of intelligent prediction and autonomous planning, without the need for users to manually intervene in the defrosting time arrangement. The refrigerator automatically plans defrosting based on its own operating data and environmental factors, providing a more convenient and intelligent user experience for users. This function improves the intelligent level of the refrigerator in the smart home ecosystem and enables it to better integrate into the smart life scenario.

[0108] In some embodiments, the present application provides a refrigerator configured with the refrigerator time-of-use electricity method provided in the above embodiments.

[0109] Embodiment 1

[0110] The peak-valley periods of the refrigerator are automatically obtained from the power grid system through the refrigerator networking system, or manually input from the refrigerator or mobile terminal by the user after querying the local peak-valley period information, and the peak-valley period information is stored in the cloud; as Figure 2 shown, it is the flowchart of this embodiment.

[0111] (1) During the operation of the refrigerator, when there is a defrosting requirement, it first sends a request for defrosting to the cloud;

[0112] (2) After the cloud receives the defrosting application from the refrigerator, it determines whether the refrigerator is currently in the peak electricity consumption period according to the peak-valley period information stored in the system. If so, it proceeds to step (3); if not, it sends an immediate defrosting command.

[0113] (3) Calculate the time t1 until the end of the peak period and send t1 to the refrigerator side, then execute step (4);

[0114] (4) After the refrigerator receives the delayed defrosting instruction, it starts the defrosting operation program after delaying for t1 time.

[0115] Embodiment 2

[0116] The peak-valley period of the refrigerator is automatically obtained from the power grid system through the refrigerator networking system, or manually input from the refrigerator or mobile terminal by the user after querying the local peak-valley period information, and the peak-valley period information is stored in the cloud; as Figure 3 shown, it is the flowchart of this embodiment.

[0117] (1) During the operation of the refrigerator, the cloud determines whether the refrigerator is currently in the valley electricity consumption period according to the peak-valley period information stored in the system. If so, it executes step (2); if not, it continues to judge;

[0118] (2) Calculate the time t2 from the current moment of the refrigerator to the end of the valley period, and execute step (3);

[0119] (3) If t2 > 30 min, then calculate the time t3 for the refrigerator to the next defrosting in combination with historical data, and execute step (4); if t2 ≤ 30 min, end the detection;

[0120] (4) If t3 < 120 min, then immediately start the defrosting operation program; if not, return to execute step (1).

[0121] Embodiment 3

[0122] (1) During the operation of the refrigerator, when there is a defrosting requirement, it first sends a defrosting application request to the cloud;

[0123] (2) After the cloud receives the defrosting application from the refrigerator, it determines whether the current moment of the refrigerator is in the valley electricity consumption period according to the peak-valley period information stored in the system. If so, it proceeds to step (3),

[0124] (3) Calculate the moment T 60 min before the end of the valley period, and calculate the time period t3 from the current moment to the moment T;

[0125] (4) If t3 > 0, that is, the current moment has not reached the moment T, then the cloud sends t3 to the refrigerator side and executes step (5); if t3 ≤ 0, that is, the current moment has reached or passed the moment T, then the cloud sends an immediate defrosting command to the refrigerator side;

[0126] (5) After receiving t3, the refrigerator starts the defrosting process after a delay of t3.

[0127] As can be seen from the above embodiments, the present application provides a refrigerator time-sharing electricity usage method and a refrigerator, the method comprising sending a defrost request to the cloud when it is detected that the defrost conditions are met; after receiving the defrost request, the cloud determines the power consumption period corresponding to the current refrigerator; when the refrigerator is in the peak power consumption period, the first time from the end of the peak power consumption period is calculated, and a delayed defrost instruction is sent to the refrigerator; after receiving the delayed defrost instruction, the refrigerator delays the defrost function after the first time. By avoiding the defrost operation during the peak power consumption period and delaying defrost during the peak power consumption period and some flat sections, the conflict between the defrost operation and the peak power consumption is avoided, and the impact of excessive instantaneous power on the power grid caused by defrosting is reduced, which is conducive to extending the service life of the refrigerator electrical components. Reasonable arrangement of the defrost time during the valley power consumption period can make full use of the power resources in the valley period, ensure the defrost effect of the refrigerator, and maintain the good refrigeration performance of the refrigerator.

[0128] Similar parts between the embodiments provided in this application can be referenced to each other. The specific implementation methods provided above are only a few examples under the general concept of this application and do not constitute a limitation on the protection scope of this application. For those skilled in the art, any other implementation methods expanded based on the scheme of this application without creative work belong to the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A refrigerator time-sharing electricity usage method, characterized in that: The method includes: When it is detected that the defrosting condition is met, sending a defrosting request to the cloud; After receiving the defrosting request, the cloud determines the electricity consumption period corresponding to the current refrigerator; the electricity consumption period includes a peak electricity consumption period, a valley electricity consumption period, and a peak electricity consumption period; When the refrigerator is in the peak electricity consumption period, calculate the first time until the end of the peak electricity consumption period, and send a delayed defrosting instruction to the refrigerator; After receiving the delayed defrosting instruction, the refrigerator delays the defrosting function after running for the first time.

2. The time-sharing power consumption method of the refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein After determining the electricity consumption period corresponding to the current refrigerator, it further includes: When the refrigerator is in the flat electricity consumption period, calculate the second time until the end of the flat electricity consumption period, and send a delayed defrosting instruction to the refrigerator; After receiving the delayed defrosting instruction, the refrigerator delays the defrosting function after running for the second time.

3. The method for time-sharing power consumption of a refrigerator according to claim 2, characterized in that, After determining the electricity consumption period corresponding to the current refrigerator, it further includes: When the refrigerator is in the valley electricity consumption period, use the time one hour before the end of the valley electricity consumption period as the target time, and calculate the third time from the current time to the target time; When the third time is greater than a preset threshold, send a delayed defrosting instruction to the refrigerator; After receiving the delayed defrosting instruction, the refrigerator delays the defrosting function after running for the third time.

4. The time-sharing power consumption method of the refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein, The method includes: When the third time is less than or equal to the preset threshold, the cloud sends a defrosting instruction to the refrigerator; Based on the defrosting instruction, the refrigerator runs the defrosting function.

5. The time-sharing power consumption method of the refrigerator according to claim 4, wherein Install a high-precision temperature sensor at the positions of the evaporator and the refrigeration pipeline of the refrigerator. The method includes: Obtain the temperature of the temperature sensor in real time. When the temperature of the temperature sensor is lower than -25°C for more than the fourth time, or when the temperature difference between the inlet and outlet of the evaporator exceeds 8°C, it is determined that the defrosting condition is met.

6. The time-sharing power consumption method of the refrigerator according to claim 5, characterized in that, Install a humidity sensor inside the refrigerator. The method includes: Obtain the humidity of the humidity sensor in real time. When the humidity is lower than 30% for more than the fifth time, it is determined that the defrosting condition is met; Or, when the temperature of the temperature sensor is lower than -25°C and the humidity is lower than 30%, it is determined that the defrosting condition is met.

7. The time-sharing power consumption method of the refrigerator according to claim 4, characterized in that, The method further includes: Record the number of times the refrigerator door is opened; When the number of openings exceeds a preset number within a preset time interval, and when the temperature of the temperature sensor is lower than -20°C and the humidity is lower than 40%, it is determined that the defrosting condition is met.

8. The refrigerator time-sharing electricity usage method according to claim 4, characterized in that: Install an energy storage device in the refrigerator. The energy storage device charges and stores energy during the valley electricity consumption period; When receiving the defrosting instruction, if it is currently in the peak or flat electricity consumption period, use the electric energy of the energy storage device for defrosting; If the power of the energy storage device is insufficient, defrosting is performed after the energy storage device is fully charged at the end of the valley or flat period.

9. The time-sharing power consumption method of the refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein The method further includes: Establish a historical defrosting database to record the trigger time, ambient temperature, humidity, running duration, and number of door openings for each defrosting; Analyze the historical defrosting database through a machine learning algorithm to predict the probability distribution of future defrosting requirements; When the predicted defrosting probability exceeds a preset probability value, plan the defrosting time and select the end of the valley or flat electricity consumption period to perform defrosting.

10. A refrigerator, characterized in that, The refrigerator is configured with the refrigerator time-sharing electricity consumption method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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