Refrigerating system, refrigerator and control method thereof

Abstract

The invention belongs to the technical field related to refrigeration, and particularly relates to a refrigeration system, a refrigerator and a control method thereof, and the refrigeration system comprises a refrigeration assembly which comprises a compressor, a condenser, a first evaporator and a second evaporator; the refrigeration circulation loop comprises a main pipeline, a first refrigerant branch and a second refrigerant branch, the first refrigerant branch and the second refrigerant branch communicate with the main pipeline, the first refrigerant branch and the second refrigerant branch are arranged in parallel, the first evaporator is arranged in the first refrigerant branch, and the second evaporator is arranged in the second refrigerant branch; the first valve body is provided with a first inlet, a first outlet and a second outlet, and each of the first outlet and the second outlet has a full-open state, a throttling state and a closed state. According to the system, the refrigerant flow of each chamber can be reasonably distributed according to different refrigeration requirements, and the operation energy consumption of the system is reduced while rapid cooling is achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of refrigeration-related technologies, and more specifically, to a refrigeration system, a refrigerator, and a control method thereof. Background Technology

[0002] Dual- or triple-system refrigerators offer better food preservation compared to single-system refrigerators. When a refrigerator is first powered on, or when the door is frequently opened and closed, or in high-temperature environments, the temperatures in the first and second compartments rise rapidly. In related technologies, if both the first and second compartments simultaneously require rapid cooling, a high-flow-rate freezing element is typically used to cool the second compartment, while a low-flow-rate refrigeration element cools the first compartment. This causes the second compartment to quickly reach its set temperature, but the cooling demand of the first compartment is greater than that of the second, resulting in uneven refrigerant flow distribution. This prevents the refrigerant flow from being allocated rationally according to the cooling needs of the first and second compartments, increasing energy consumption. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this application is to provide a refrigeration system, a refrigerator and a control method thereof, which can rationally allocate the refrigerant flow of each compartment according to different refrigeration needs, thereby reducing system operating energy consumption while achieving rapid cooling.

[0004] In a first aspect, this application proposes a refrigeration system, comprising: a refrigeration assembly including a compressor, a condenser, a first evaporator, and a second evaporator; a refrigeration cycle loop including a main pipeline and a first refrigerant branch and a second refrigerant branch respectively connected to the main pipeline, the first refrigerant branch and the second refrigerant branch being arranged in parallel, the first evaporator being arranged in the first refrigerant branch, the second evaporator being arranged in the second refrigerant branch, the outlet of the first evaporator and the outlet of the second evaporator being both connected to the inlet of the compressor, the compressor and the condenser being arranged sequentially in the main pipeline; and a first valve body being arranged at the connection between the first refrigerant branch and the second refrigerant branch and the main pipeline, the first valve body having a first inlet, a first outlet and a second outlet, the first inlet being connected to the outlet of the condenser, the first outlet being connected to the first refrigerant branch, the second outlet being connected to the second refrigerant branch, and both the first outlet and the second outlet having a fully open state, a throttling state and a closed state.

[0005] Secondly, this application proposes a refrigerator, including a cabinet with a second compartment and a first compartment disposed therein; a refrigeration system according to various embodiments of this application, wherein a first evaporator of the refrigeration system is disposed in the first compartment and a second evaporator is disposed in the second compartment; a sensor assembly for detecting environmental information of the refrigerator, including the temperature of the first compartment and the temperature of the second compartment; and a controller electrically connected to the sensor assembly, the compressor of the refrigeration system and the first valve body respectively, the controller being configured to determine the refrigeration demand of the first compartment and the second compartment based on the environmental information, and control the operation of the first valve body and the compressor based on the refrigeration demand.

[0006] Thirdly, this application proposes a refrigerator control method, which is applied to the refrigerators in various embodiments of this application. The control method includes: acquiring environmental information of the refrigerator, including the temperature of a first compartment and the temperature of a second compartment; determining the cooling demand of the second compartment and the cooling demand of the first compartment based on the environmental information; and controlling the operation of a first valve body and a compressor based on the cooling demand.

[0007] The refrigeration system, refrigerator, and control method provided in this application embodiment, by setting the first evaporator for cooling the first compartment and the second evaporator for cooling the second compartment in parallel in the refrigeration cycle loop, and by using a first valve body with on / off and throttling functions, can reasonably allocate the refrigerant flow of each compartment according to the operating conditions of the compressor, thereby reducing system energy consumption while achieving rapid cooling.

[0008] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of this application. In order to better understand the technical means of this application and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, and to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of this application more obvious and understandable, the following are specific embodiments of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0009] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description of preferred embodiments. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. Furthermore, the same reference numerals denote the same parts throughout the drawings. Wherein:

[0010] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description of preferred embodiments. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. Furthermore, the same reference numerals denote the same parts throughout the drawings. Wherein:

[0011] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a refrigeration system according to an embodiment of this application;

[0012] Figure 2 for Figure 1 The diagram shows an exploded view of the first valve body in the refrigeration system.

[0013] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a refrigeration system according to an embodiment of this application;

[0014] Figure 4 for Figure 3 The diagram shows an exploded view of the first valve body in the refrigeration system.

[0015] Figure 5 This is a flowchart of a refrigerator control method according to an embodiment of this application;

[0016] Figure 6 This is a detailed flowchart of a refrigerator control method according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0017] Figure 7 This is a detailed flowchart of a refrigerator control method according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0018] The labels in the attached diagram are as follows:

[0019] 10. Refrigeration system;

[0020] 1. Refrigeration components; 11. Compressor; 12. Condenser; 13. First evaporator; 14. Second evaporator; 15. First throttling element; 16. Second throttling element; 17. Third evaporator; 18. Third throttling element; 19. One-way check valve;

[0021] 2. Anti-condensation pipe;

[0022] 3. Refrigeration cycle loop; 30. Main pipe; 31. First refrigerant branch; 32. Second refrigerant branch; 33. Third refrigerant branch; 34. Bypass branch;

[0023] 4. First valve body; 40. First inlet; 41. First outlet; 411. First through hole; 412. First arc-shaped groove; 42. Second outlet; 421. Second through hole; 422. Second arc-shaped groove; 43. Valve seat; 44. Valve block;

[0024] 440. Connecting part; 441. First notch; 442. Second notch; 443. Third notch; 45. Third outlet; 451. Third through hole; 452. Third arc groove;

[0025] 5. Second valve body; 50. Second inlet; 51. Fourth outlet; 52. Fifth outlet. Detailed Implementation

[0026] Exemplary embodiments of this application will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While exemplary embodiments of this application are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that this application may be implemented in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to enable a more thorough understanding of this application and to fully convey the scope of this application to those skilled in the art.

[0027] It should be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular exemplary embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “described” as used herein may also include the plural forms. The terms “comprising,” “including,” “containing,” and “having” are inclusive and therefore indicate the presence of the stated features, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or combinations thereof. The method steps, processes, and operations described herein are not construed as requiring them to be performed in a particular order described or illustrated unless the order of performance is explicitly indicated. It should also be understood that additional or alternative steps may be used.

[0028] Although terms such as first, second, third, etc., may be used in this document to describe multiple elements, components, regions, layers, and / or segments, these elements, components, regions, layers, and / or segments should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be used only to distinguish one element, component, region, layer, or segment from another. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, terms such as "first," "second," and other numerical terms used herein do not imply order or sequence. Therefore, the first element, component, region, layer, or segment discussed below may be referred to as the second element, component, region, layer, or segment without departing from the teachings of the exemplary embodiments.

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a refrigeration system 10 according to an embodiment of this application.

[0030] See Figure 1 This application provides a refrigeration system 10, which includes a refrigeration component 1, a refrigeration circulation loop 3, and a first valve body 4.

[0031] The refrigeration assembly 1 includes a compressor 11, a condenser 12, a first evaporator 13, and a second evaporator 14.

[0032] The refrigeration cycle circuit 3 includes a main pipeline 30 and a first refrigerant branch 31 and a second refrigerant branch 32 connected to the main pipeline 30. The first refrigerant branch 31 and the second refrigerant branch 32 are arranged in parallel. The first evaporator 13 is arranged in the first refrigerant branch 31, and the second evaporator 14 is arranged in the second refrigerant branch 32. The outlets of the first evaporator 13 and the second evaporator 14 are both connected to the inlet of the compressor 11. The compressor 11 and the condenser 12 are arranged sequentially in the main pipeline 30.

[0033] The first valve body 4 is located at the connection between the first refrigerant branch 31 and the second refrigerant branch 32 and the main pipeline 30. The first valve body 4 has a first inlet 40, a first outlet 41 and a second outlet 42. The first inlet 40 is connected to the outlet of the condenser 12, the first outlet 41 is connected to the first refrigerant branch 31, and the second outlet 42 is connected to the second refrigerant branch 32. Both the first outlet 41 and the second outlet 42 have a fully open state, a throttling state and a closed state.

[0034] For dual-system refrigerators with two evaporators, the temperatures of the first and second compartments rise rapidly upon power-on, frequent door opening and closing, or in high-temperature environments. In related technologies, if both the first and second compartments simultaneously require rapid cooling, a high-flow-rate freezing throttling element is typically used to cool the second compartment, while a low-flow-rate refrigeration throttling element cools the first compartment. This causes the second compartment to quickly reach its set temperature. However, since the cooling demand of the first compartment is greater than that of the second, an uneven distribution of refrigerant flow occurs. This prevents the refrigerant flow from being allocated rationally according to the cooling needs of the first and second compartments, increasing operating energy consumption.

[0035] Furthermore, in some related technologies, the valves used in refrigeration systems mostly only have on / off functions, lacking throttling capabilities. In other related technologies, refrigeration systems employ electronic expansion valves, which have throttling functions, but are typically single-inlet and single-outlet valves, unable to switch flow paths. Still other related technologies combine electronic expansion valves with throttling functions with valves that have on / off functions, achieving both flow regulation and flow path switching; however, electronic expansion valves are expensive, require a large number of valves, have complex control logic, and have a relatively high failure rate.

[0036] Therefore, in this embodiment of the application, the refrigeration system 10 adopts a first valve body 4 with one inlet and two outlets. Its first outlet 41 and second outlet 42 both have a fully open state, a throttling state and a closed state, so that the first valve body 4 can realize both flow regulation and flow path switching. Moreover, the refrigeration system 10 has a small number of valve bodies, simple control logic and low cost.

[0037] Specifically, the first valve body 4 has a first inlet 40, a first outlet 41, and a second outlet 42. The first inlet 40 is connected to the outlet of the condenser 12, the first outlet 41 is connected to the first refrigerant branch 31, and the second outlet 42 is connected to the second refrigerant branch 32. The first evaporator 13 is located in the first refrigerant branch 31, and the second evaporator 14 is located in the second refrigerant branch 32, so that the first evaporator 13 and the second evaporator 14 are connected in parallel in the refrigeration cycle loop 3. The first evaporator 13 is used to cool the first compartment, and the second evaporator 14 is used to cool the second compartment. For the refrigeration system 10 with the first evaporator 13 and the second evaporator 14 connected in pure parallel, there may be a situation where both the first compartment and the second compartment have cooling needs at the same time. To avoid the situation where the return air temperature is low due to individual cooling of each room, the amount of refrigerant in the pure parallel refrigeration system 10 will be less than the amount of refrigerant in the refrigeration system 10 with the first evaporator 13 and the second evaporator 14 connected in series and parallel. Therefore, when the first room and the second room have cooling needs at the same time, the system will control the first room and the second room to cool in an energy-saving manner according to the cooling needs of the rooms.

[0038] When only the first chamber requires cooling, the first outlet 41 of the first valve body 4 opens and the second outlet 42 closes. The high-temperature, high-pressure gas discharged from the compressor 11 is condensed and cooled by the condenser 12, becoming a low-temperature, high-pressure liquid. After flowing through the first valve body 4, the low-temperature, low-pressure liquid evaporates and absorbs heat in the first evaporator 13, carrying away the heat from the first chamber and becoming a low-temperature, low-pressure gas. It then flows back to the compressor 11 and is compressed into a high-temperature, high-pressure gas, completing one refrigeration cycle. When only the second chamber requires cooling, the second outlet 42 of the first valve body 4 opens and the first outlet 41 closes. The high-temperature, high-pressure gas discharged from the compressor 11 is condensed and cooled by the condenser 12, becoming a low-temperature, high-pressure liquid. After flowing through the first valve body 4, the low-temperature, low-pressure liquid evaporates and absorbs heat in the second evaporator 14, carrying away the heat from the second chamber and becoming a low-temperature, low-pressure gas. It then flows back to the compressor 11 and is compressed into a high-temperature, high-pressure gas, completing one refrigeration cycle. When both the first and second chambers have cooling needs, one of them will be cooled first according to its priority. After running for a period of time and reaching the shutdown temperature, the other chamber will be switched to cool.

[0039] The first outlet 41 and second outlet 42 of the first valve body 4 have fully open, throttling, and closed states. Besides switching between the first refrigerant branch 31 and the second refrigerant branch 32, they also have a throttling function. The first outlet 41 and second outlet 42 can be switched between fully open and throttling states based on the operating frequency of the compressor 11, allowing for four different flow rate combinations. For example, when the first compartment has cooling demand, if the compressor 11 operates at a higher frequency, the first outlet 41 can be controlled to be fully open for high-flow cooling; if the compressor 11 operates at a lower frequency, the first outlet 41 can be controlled to be throttling for energy-saving cooling with a lower flow rate. Similarly, when only the second compartment has cooling demand, the second outlet 42 can be controlled to be fully open or throttling based on the compressor 11's operating frequency, achieving either high-flow rapid cooling or low-flow energy-saving cooling. Therefore, the refrigerant flow can be rationally allocated according to the cooling needs of the second and first compartments, achieving rapid cooling while reducing system power consumption.

[0040] In addition, the first refrigerant branch 31 and the second refrigerant branch 32 are respectively equipped with one-way check valves 19. The one-way check valves 19 are respectively located on the outlet side of the first evaporator 13 and the outlet side of the second evaporator 14 to prevent refrigerant backflow.

[0041] The refrigeration system 10 provided in this application embodiment arranges the first evaporator 13 for cooling the first compartment and the second evaporator 14 for cooling the second compartment in parallel in the refrigeration cycle loop 3. At the same time, it adopts the first valve body 4 with on / off and throttling functions, which can reasonably allocate the refrigerant flow of the first compartment and the second compartment according to the operating conditions of the compressor 11, thereby reducing the system's operating energy consumption while achieving rapid cooling.

[0042] Figure 2 for Figure 1 The diagram shows the exploded structure of the first valve body in the refrigeration system.

[0043] In some embodiments, the first valve body 4 includes a valve seat 43 and a valve block 44 coaxially arranged. The bottom or side surface of the valve seat 43 is provided with a first inlet 40, and the end face of the valve seat 43 is provided with a first outlet 41 and a second outlet 42 distributed circumferentially. The first outlet 41 includes a first through hole 411 and a first arc-shaped groove 412 communicating with the first through hole 411. The second outlet 42 includes a second through hole 421 and a second arc-shaped groove 422 communicating with the second through hole 421. The valve block 44 includes a connecting portion 440 having a first notch 441 and a second notch 442. The connecting portion 440 is fitted to the end face of the valve seat 43 and can rotate relative to the valve seat 43, so that the first notch 441 can selectively communicate with either the first through hole 411 or the first arc-shaped groove 412, and the second notch 442 can selectively communicate with either the second through hole 421 or the second arc-shaped groove 422. When the first notch 441 communicates with the first through hole 411, the first outlet 41 is in a fully open state; when the first notch 441 communicates with the first arc-shaped groove 412, the first outlet 41 is in a fully open state. When the two connections are connected, the first outlet 41 is in a throttling state; when the second notch 442 is connected to the second through hole 421, the second outlet 42 is in a fully open state; when the second notch 442 is connected to the second arc groove 422, the second outlet 42 is in a throttling state; when the remaining parts of the connecting part 440, except for the first notch 441 and the second notch 442, cover the first outlet 41, the first outlet 41 is in a closed state; when the remaining parts of the connecting part 440, except for the first notch 441 and the second notch 442, cover the second outlet 42, the second outlet 42 is in a closed state.

[0044] See Figure 2 The end face of the valve seat 43 is a flat mating surface, and the valve block 44 can fit against the end face of the valve seat 43 and rotate at a certain angle. The first inlet 40 of the valve seat 43 is located on the side or bottom surface of the valve seat 43, and the first outlet 41 is located on the end face of the valve seat 43 and is opened on a circle with the central axis of the valve seat 43 as the center and a certain length as the radius. The first valve body 4 also includes a first inlet pipe and a first outlet pipe fixedly connected to the valve seat 43. The first inlet pipe is connected to the first inlet 40, and the first outlet pipe is connected to the first outlet 41. The first inlet pipe and the first outlet pipe are respectively connected to the refrigeration cycle loop 3 to meet the needs of the refrigeration system 10.

[0045] The first valve body 4 may also include a control unit and a motor (not shown in the figure). The control unit controls the rotor of the motor to drive the valve block 44 to rotate relative to the valve seat 43. The connecting part 440 of the valve block 44 is used to rotate and engage with the end face of the valve seat 43. When the connecting part 440 rotates to cover the first outlet 41 of the valve seat 43, the first outlet 41 is in a closed state, and the refrigerant cannot flow out from the first outlet 41. Conversely, when the connecting part 440 rotates to not cover the first outlet 41, if the first notch 441 corresponds to the first through hole 411 of the first outlet 41, the first outlet 41 is in a fully open state, and the refrigerant flows out directly from the first through hole 411. If the first notch 441 corresponds to the first arc groove 412 of the first outlet 41, the first outlet 41 is in a throttling state, and the refrigerant enters the first through hole 411 and then flows out from the first arc groove 412. The positional relationship and conduction relationship between the second outlet 42 and the second notch 442 are similar and will not be described again.

[0046] The magnitude of the throttling flow rate at the first outlet 41 depends on the longitudinal cross-sectional area formed by the width and depth of the first arc-shaped groove 412.

[0047] The throttling flow rate of the second outlet 42 depends on the longitudinal cross-sectional area formed by the width and depth of the second arc-shaped groove 422. The angles of the first notch 441 and the second notch 442 can be the same or different. The angles of the first notch 441 and the second notch 442 along the circumferential direction are designed according to the specific application scenario and control logic, and will not be elaborated further.

[0048] It is understandable that the first valve body 4 can also have other structural forms, as long as it can realize the functions of switching on and off and throttling, and there are no restrictions here.

[0049] In some embodiments, the refrigeration assembly 1 further includes a first throttling element 15 and a second throttling element 16. The first throttling element 15 is disposed in the first refrigerant branch 31 and communicates with the inlet of the first evaporator 13, and the second throttling element 16 is disposed in the second refrigerant branch 32 and communicates with the inlet of the second evaporator 14.

[0050] The first throttling element 15 and the second throttling element 16 can be, for example, but not limited to, capillary tubes. Figure 1 As shown, the high-temperature and high-pressure gas discharged from the compressor 11 is condensed and cooled by the condenser 12, becoming a low-temperature and high-pressure liquid. After flowing through the first valve body 4, it is further obstructed, limited, and depressurized by the first throttling element 15 or the second throttling element 16, thus becoming a low-temperature and low-pressure liquid, which is beneficial to improving the heat exchange efficiency of the condenser 12.

[0051] In some embodiments, the refrigeration cycle loop 3 further includes a bypass branch 34, and the refrigeration system 10 further includes an anti-condensation pipe 2 and a second valve body 5. The anti-condensation pipe 2 is disposed between the first valve body 4 and the second valve body 5, and the bypass branch 34 is disposed in parallel with the anti-condensation pipe 2. The second valve body 5 has a second inlet 50, a fourth outlet 51 and a fifth outlet 52. The second inlet 50 is connected to the outlet of the condenser 12, the fourth outlet 51 is connected to the anti-condensation pipe 2, and the fifth outlet 52 is connected to the bypass branch 34.

[0052] The anti-condensation pipe 2 can be installed inside the door frame of the refrigerator, or at the various horizontal and vertical beams of the door frame. The high-temperature liquid refrigerant in the anti-condensation pipe 2 flows through these beams, heating their surfaces and balancing the temperature difference with the environment, thus preventing condensation. The anti-condensation pipe 2 can be made of plastic and is used to circulate refrigerant and other cooling media. It has high corrosion resistance and extends its service life.

[0053] When the ambient temperature of the refrigerator is low or the relative humidity is high, the fourth outlet 51 of the second valve body 5 opens and the fifth outlet 52 closes, controlling condensation through the anti-condensation pipe 2. When the ambient temperature of the refrigerator is high or the relative humidity is low, the fourth outlet 51 of the second valve body 5 closes and the fifth outlet 52 opens, operating at energy efficiency through the bypass branch 34. The second valve body 5 directs the refrigerant to different pipelines under different environmental parameters, reducing heat loss and achieving precise anti-condensation management.

[0054] This application provides a refrigerator, including: a cabinet, a refrigeration system 10, a sensor assembly, and a controller according to various embodiments of this application.

[0055] The refrigerator body includes a first compartment and a second compartment. The first evaporator 13 of the refrigeration system 10 is located in the first compartment, and the second evaporator 14 is located in the second compartment. A sensor assembly is used to detect environmental information, including the temperature of the second compartment and the temperature of the first compartment. A controller is electrically connected to the sensor assembly, the compressor 11 of the refrigeration system 10, and the first valve body 4. The controller is configured to determine the cooling demand of the first and second compartments based on the environmental information, and control the operation of the first valve body 4 and the compressor 11 according to the cooling demand. Optionally, the first compartment is a refrigerator compartment, and the second compartment is a freezer compartment.

[0056] It is understood that the refrigeration system 10 provided in the embodiments of this application is also applicable to various refrigeration equipment such as freezers, cold storage, and refrigerated trucks, and will not be described in detail here.

[0057] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a refrigeration system according to an embodiment of this application.

[0058] In some embodiments, the refrigeration assembly 1 further includes a third evaporator 17, and the refrigeration cycle loop 3 further includes a third refrigerant branch 33 connected to the main refrigerant branch 30. The third refrigerant branch 33 is arranged in parallel with the second refrigerant branch 32, and the third evaporator 17 is disposed in the third refrigerant branch 33. The first valve body 4 also has a third outlet 45, which is connected to the third refrigerant branch 33, and the third outlet 45 has a fully open state, a throttling state, and a closed state.

[0059] See Figure 3 The refrigeration system 10 in this embodiment is used in a multi-system refrigerator with a first compartment, a second compartment, and a third compartment. Its structure is similar to that of a dual-system refrigerator, except that the first valve body 4 has a first inlet 40, a first outlet 41, a second outlet 42, and a third outlet 45. Each of these outlets has a fully open state, a throttling state, and a closed state. Besides switching between the first refrigerant branch 31, the second refrigerant branch 32, and the third refrigerant branch 33, it also has a throttling function. The first outlet 41, the second outlet 42, and the third outlet 45 can be switched between the fully open and throttling states based on the operating frequency of the compressor 11, allowing for six different flow rate combinations. When different compartments have simultaneous cooling needs, the specific compartment can be determined and refrigerated according to priority. For example, when the third compartment needs cooling, if the compressor 11 operates at a higher speed, the third outlet 45 can be kept fully open to achieve high-flow cooling. If the compressor 11 operates at a lower speed, the third outlet 45 can be kept in a throttling state to achieve energy-saving cooling with a lower flow rate. Other scenarios, such as only the second compartment or the first compartment needing cooling, operate similarly to the cooling system 10 of the aforementioned dual-system refrigerator and will not be elaborated further. Therefore, the refrigerant flow can be rationally allocated according to the cooling needs of the first, second, and third compartments, achieving rapid cooling while reducing system power consumption.

[0060] In addition, the first refrigerant branch 31 and the second refrigerant branch 32 are respectively equipped with one-way check valves 19. The one-way check valves 19 are respectively located on the outlet side of the first evaporator 13 and the outlet side of the second evaporator 14 to prevent refrigerant backflow.

[0061] In some embodiments, the refrigeration assembly 1 further includes a third throttling element 18, which is disposed in the third refrigerant branch 33 and communicates with the inlet of the third evaporator 17.

[0062] like Figure 3As shown, the high-temperature and high-pressure gas discharged from the compressor 11 is condensed and cooled by the condenser 12, becoming a low-temperature and high-pressure liquid. After flowing through the first valve body 4, it is then blocked, limited, and depressurized by the third throttling element 18, becoming a low-temperature and low-pressure liquid, which is beneficial to improving the heat exchange efficiency of the condenser 12.

[0063] Figure 4 for Figure 3 The diagram shows the exploded structure of the first valve body in the refrigeration system.

[0064] In some embodiments, the first valve body 4 includes a valve seat 43 and a valve block 44 coaxially arranged. The end face of the valve seat 43 is provided with a first inlet 40, a first outlet 41, a second outlet 42 and a third outlet 45 distributed circumferentially. The first outlet 41 includes a first through hole 411 and a first arcuate groove 412 communicating with the first through hole 411. The second outlet 42 includes a second through hole 421 and a second arcuate groove 422 communicating with the second through hole 421. The third outlet 45 includes a third through hole 451 and a third arcuate groove 452 communicating with the third through hole 451.

[0065] See Figure 4 The valve block 44 includes a connecting portion 440 having a first notch 441, a second notch 442, and a third notch 443. The connecting portion 440 is fitted to the end face of the valve seat 43 and can rotate relative to the valve seat 43, so that the first notch 441 can selectively communicate with either the first through hole 411 or the first arc-shaped groove 412, the second notch 442 can selectively communicate with either the second through hole 421 or the second arc-shaped groove 422, and the third notch 443 can selectively communicate with either the third through hole 451 or the third arc-shaped groove 452. When the first notch 441 communicates with the first through hole 411, the first outlet 41 is in a fully open state; when the first notch 441 communicates with the first arc-shaped groove 412... When the first outlet 41 is in a throttling state, and the second notch 442 is connected to the second through hole 421, the second outlet 42 is in a fully open state; when the second notch 442 is connected to the second arc groove 422, the second outlet 42 is in a throttling state; when the third notch 443 is connected to the third through hole 451, the third outlet 45 is in a fully open state; when the third notch 443 is connected to the third arc groove 452, the third outlet 45 is in a throttling state; when the remaining parts of the connecting part 440, excluding the first notch 441, the second notch 442, and the third notch 443, respectively cover the first outlet 41, the second outlet 42, and the third outlet 45, the first outlet 41, the second outlet 42, and the third outlet 45 are respectively in a closed state. The angles of the first notch 441, the second notch 442, and the third notch 443 can be the same or different. The angles of the first notch 441, the second notch 442, and the third notch 443 along the circumferential direction are designed according to the specific application scenario and control logic, and will not be elaborated further.

[0066] In this embodiment, the working principle of the first valve body 4 with one inlet and three outlets is similar to that of the first valve body 4 with one inlet and two outlets mentioned above, and will not be described again.

[0067] It is understandable that the first valve body 4 can also have other structural forms, as long as it can realize the functions of switching on and off and throttling, and there are no restrictions here.

[0068] In some embodiments, the refrigeration cycle loop 3 further includes a bypass branch 34, and the refrigeration system 10 further includes an anti-condensation pipe 2 and a second valve body 5. The anti-condensation pipe 2 is disposed between the first valve body 4 and the second valve body 5, and the bypass branch 34 is disposed in parallel with the anti-condensation pipe 2. The second valve body 5 has a second inlet 50, a fourth outlet 51 and a fifth outlet 52. The second inlet 50 is connected to the outlet of the condenser 12, the fourth outlet 51 is connected to the anti-condensation pipe 2, and the fifth outlet 52 is connected to the bypass branch 34.

[0069] The refrigeration system 10 in this embodiment is used in a multi-system refrigerator with a first compartment, a second compartment, and a third compartment. When the ambient temperature of the refrigerator is low or the relative humidity is high, the fourth outlet 51 of the second valve body 5 opens and the fifth outlet 52 closes, controlling condensation through the anti-condensation pipe 2. When the ambient temperature of the refrigerator is high or the relative humidity is low, the fourth outlet 51 of the second valve body 5 closes and the fifth outlet 52 opens, operating at energy efficiency through the bypass branch 34. The second valve body 5 directs the refrigerant to different pipelines under different environmental parameters, reducing heat loss and thus achieving precise anti-condensation management.

[0070] This application provides a refrigerator, including: a cabinet, a refrigeration system 10, a sensor assembly, and a controller according to various embodiments of this application.

[0071] The refrigerator body includes a first compartment, a second compartment, and a third compartment. The first evaporator 13 of the refrigeration system 10 is located in the first compartment, the second evaporator 14 in the second compartment, and the third evaporator 17 in the third compartment. A sensor assembly is used to detect environmental information, including the temperatures of the first, second, and third compartments. A controller is electrically connected to the sensor assembly, the compressor 11 of the refrigeration system 10, and the first valve body 4. The controller is configured to determine the cooling needs of the first, second, and third compartments based on the environmental information and control the operation of the first valve body 4 and the compressor 11 accordingly. Optionally, the first compartment is a refrigerator compartment, the second compartment is a freezer compartment, and the third compartment is a variable temperature compartment. In other examples, the first, second, and third compartments can also be compartments with other functions, depending on the application scenario, and will not be elaborated further.

[0072] It is understood that the refrigeration system 10 provided in the embodiments of this application is also applicable to various refrigeration equipment such as freezers, cold storage, and refrigerated trucks, and will not be described in detail here.

[0073] Figure 5 This is a flowchart of a refrigerator control method according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0074] See Figure 5 This application provides a refrigerator control method, which is applied to refrigerators in various embodiments of this application. The control method includes the following steps S1 to S3.

[0075] Step S1: Obtain the environmental information of the refrigerator, including the temperature of the second compartment and the temperature of the first compartment;

[0076] Step S2: Determine the cooling requirements of the second room and the first room based on the environmental information;

[0077] Step S3: Control the operation of the first valve body 4 and the compressor 11 according to the cooling demand.

[0078] The refrigerator control method provided in this application embodiment arranges the first evaporator 13 for cooling the first compartment and the second evaporator 14 for cooling the second compartment in parallel in the refrigeration cycle loop 3. At the same time, it adopts a combination of valve body with on / off and throttling functions and throttling element. It can reasonably allocate the refrigerant flow of the first compartment and the second compartment according to the operating conditions of the compressor 11, thereby reducing the system's operating energy consumption while achieving rapid cooling.

[0079] Figure 6 This is a detailed flowchart of a refrigerator control method according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0080] See Figure 6 In some embodiments, step S3, controlling the operation of the first valve body 4 and the compressor 11 according to the cooling demand, includes:

[0081] Step S31: Based on the fact that only the second room has a cooling demand, control the first outlet 41 of the first valve body 4 to be in the closed state;

[0082] Step S32: Based on the fact that the speed of compressor 11 is greater than the first speed threshold, control the second outlet 42 of the first valve body 4 to be in the fully open state;

[0083] Step S33: Based on the compressor 11 speed being less than or equal to the first speed threshold, control the second outlet 42 of the first valve body 4 to be in a throttling state.

[0084] In this embodiment, if only the second compartment has a cooling request, the first outlet 41 of the first valve body 4 is closed and the second outlet 42 is opened. After running for a period of time, it is detected whether the speed of the compressor 11 is greater than the first speed threshold f1. If so, the load on the second compartment is high, and the second outlet 42 is fully open. Otherwise, the second outlet 42 is in a throttling state, the system flow is small, and the refrigerator operates in energy-saving mode until the second compartment reaches the shutdown temperature, and the cooling ends.

[0085] In some embodiments, step S3, controlling the operation of the first valve body 4 and the compressor 11 according to the cooling demand, includes:

[0086] Step S34: Based on the fact that only the first room has a cooling demand, control the second outlet 42 of the first valve body 4 to be in the closed state;

[0087] Step S35: Based on the fact that the speed of compressor 11 is greater than the second speed threshold, control the first outlet 41 of the first valve body 4 to be in the fully open state;

[0088] Step S36: Based on the compressor 11 speed being less than or equal to the second speed threshold, control the first outlet 41 of the first valve body 4 to be in a throttling state.

[0089] In this embodiment, if only the first compartment has a cooling request, the first outlet 41 of the first valve body 4 is opened and the second outlet 42 is closed. After running for a period of time, it is detected whether the speed of the compressor 11 is greater than the second speed threshold f2. If so, the load of the first compartment is high, and the first outlet 41 is fully open. Otherwise, the first outlet 41 is in a throttling state, the system flow is small, and the refrigerator operates in energy-saving mode until the first compartment reaches the shutdown temperature, and the cooling ends.

[0090] In some embodiments, step S3, controlling the operation of the first valve body 4 and the compressor 11 according to the cooling demand, includes:

[0091] Step S35: Based on the fact that both the second and first chambers have cooling needs, and the cooling priority of the second chamber is higher than that of the first chamber, control the first outlet 41 of the first valve body 4 to be closed and the second outlet 42 to be fully open.

[0092] Step S36: Based on the fact that the temperature of the second chamber is greater than the second shutdown temperature, control the first outlet 41 of the first valve body 4 to be closed and the second outlet 42 to be fully open.

[0093] Step S37: Based on the fact that the temperature of the second chamber is less than or equal to the second shutdown temperature, and the cooling operation time of the second chamber is greater than or equal to the first preset time, control the first outlet 41 of the first valve body 4 to be fully open and the second outlet 42 to be closed.

[0094] Step S38: Based on the fact that the temperature of the first chamber is greater than the first shutdown temperature, control the first outlet 41 of the first valve body 4 to be fully open and the second outlet 42 to be closed.

[0095] In this embodiment, when both the first and second compartments have cooling needs, the cooling priority of one compartment is determined first. For example, if the temperature difference between the second compartment and the second shutdown temperature is greater than the temperature difference between the first compartment and the first shutdown temperature, then the cooling priority of the second compartment is higher than that of the first compartment. Taking the case where the cooling priority of the second compartment is higher than that of the first compartment as an example, the second outlet 42 of the first valve body 4 is opened first, and the first outlet 41 is closed. After running for a period of time, it is determined whether the temperature of the second compartment has reached the shutdown temperature. If it has, the second outlet 42 is closed and the first outlet 41 is opened, and the refrigeration stage begins. If the second compartment has not reached the shutdown temperature, but the forced shutdown time of the second compartment has been met, the second outlet 42 is closed again and the first outlet 41 is opened. The first compartment cools until it reaches the shutdown temperature, then the first outlet 41 is closed and the second outlet 42 is opened. This process is repeated until both the second and first compartments reach their respective shutdown temperatures, and the cooling ends.

[0096] In some embodiments, step S3, controlling the operation of the first valve body 4 and the compressor 11 according to the cooling demand, includes:

[0097] Based on the fact that both the second and first chambers have cooling needs, and the cooling priority of the first chamber is higher than that of the second chamber, the first outlet 41 of the first valve body 4 is controlled to be fully open and the second outlet 42 is controlled to be closed.

[0098] Based on the fact that the temperature of the first chamber is greater than the first shutdown temperature, the first outlet 41 of the first valve body 4 is controlled to be fully open and the second outlet 42 is controlled to be closed.

[0099] Based on the temperature of the first chamber being less than or equal to the first shutdown temperature, and the cooling operation time of the first chamber being greater than or equal to the second preset time, the first outlet 41 of the first valve body 4 is controlled to be closed and the second outlet 42 is controlled to be fully open.

[0100] Based on the fact that the temperature of the second chamber is greater than the second shutdown temperature, the first outlet 41 of the first valve body 4 is closed and the second outlet 42 is fully open.

[0101] In this embodiment, when both the first and second compartments have cooling needs, the cooling priority of one compartment is determined first. Taking the cooling priority of the first compartment as an example, the first outlet 41 of the first valve body 4 is opened and the second outlet 42 is closed. After running for a period of time, it is determined whether the temperature of the first compartment has reached the shutdown temperature. If so, the first outlet 41 is closed and the second outlet 42 is opened, and the refrigeration stage begins. If the first compartment has not reached the shutdown temperature, but the forced shutdown time of the first compartment has been met, the first outlet 41 is closed and the second outlet 42 is opened. The second compartment cools until it reaches the shutdown temperature, then the second outlet 42 is closed and the first outlet 41 is opened. This process is repeated until both the second and first compartments reach their respective shutdown temperatures, and the cooling ends.

[0102] In some embodiments, the refrigeration system 10 of the refrigerator further includes an anti-condensation pipe 2, a second valve body 5, and a bypass branch 34. The anti-condensation pipe 2 is disposed between the first valve body 4 and the second valve body 5, and the bypass branch 34 is connected in parallel with the anti-condensation pipe 2. The environmental information also includes the ambient temperature or relative humidity of the refrigerator, and the control method further includes:

[0103] Step S41: Based on the ambient temperature being less than or equal to the ambient temperature threshold T1, or based on the ambient relative humidity being less than or equal to the humidity threshold Th1, control the fourth outlet 51 of the second valve body 5 to be closed and the fifth outlet 52 to be open.

[0104] Step S42: Based on the ambient temperature being greater than the ambient temperature threshold, or based on the ambient relative humidity being greater than the humidity threshold, control the fifth outlet 52 of the second valve body 5 to be closed and the fourth outlet 51 to be open.

[0105] The refrigerator control method provided in this application sets the first evaporator 13 for cooling the first compartment and the second evaporator 14 for cooling the second compartment in a series-parallel manner in the refrigeration cycle loop 3. At the same time, it adopts a valve body with on / off and throttling functions, which can reasonably allocate the refrigerant flow of the first compartment and the second compartment according to the operating conditions of the compressor 11, thereby reducing the system's operating energy consumption while achieving rapid cooling.

[0106] In related technologies, the common approach to addressing the rapid cooling issue in refrigerators is to increase the power of the compressor 11, thereby enhancing heat exchange. However, this method increases system pressure and load, potentially shortening the compressor 11's lifespan and reducing reliability. Therefore, this embodiment uses a sensor assembly to monitor the temperature of each compartment. When the temperature exceeds a compartment temperature threshold, the first valve 4 is switched to a high-flow-rate path to rapidly cool the refrigerator by increasing the refrigerant supply. Once the compartment temperature reaches the set threshold, the flow rate is switched back to a low-flow-rate path to ensure normal operation. This approach achieves rapid cooling without impacting energy consumption.

[0107] In some embodiments, step S3, controlling the operation of the first valve body 4 and the compressor 11 according to the cooling demand, includes:

[0108] Based on the fact that both the second and first chambers have cooling needs and the cooling priority of the first chamber is higher than that of the second chamber, the second outlet 42 of the first valve body 4 is kept closed.

[0109] Based on the temperature of the first chamber being between the third and fourth temperature thresholds, the compressor 11 speed is controlled to maintain the current first speed, while the first outlet 41 of the first valve body 4 is controlled to be fully open.

[0110] Based on the fact that the temperature of the first chamber is greater than the fourth temperature threshold, the first outlet 41 of the first valve body 4 is controlled to be fully open, and the speed of the compressor 11 is controlled to be the second speed, wherein the second speed is greater than the first speed.

[0111] Based on the difference between the temperature of the first chamber and the third temperature threshold and the temperature variable, the speed of the compressor 11 is controlled to the first speed, and the first outlet 41 of the first valve body 4 is controlled to be in a throttling state.

[0112] Based on the temperature of the second chamber being between the first temperature threshold and the second temperature threshold, the second outlet 42 of the first valve body 4 is controlled to be fully open, while the speed of the compressor 11 is controlled to maintain the current first speed.

[0113] Based on the fact that the temperature of the second chamber is greater than the second temperature threshold, the second outlet 42 of the first valve body 4 is controlled to be fully open, and the speed of the compressor 11 is controlled to be the second speed.

[0114] Based on the difference between the temperature of the second chamber and the temperature variable, the speed of compressor 11 is controlled to the first speed, and the second outlet 42 of the first valve body 4 is controlled to be in a throttling state.

[0115] In this embodiment, both the second chamber and the first chamber have a refrigeration requirement, and the refrigeration priority of the first chamber is higher. Therefore, the first chamber is rapidly cooled first, and then the second chamber is rapidly cooled. Among them, the third temperature threshold is t3, the fourth temperature threshold is t4, the temperature variable is ΔT, and the magnitude of ΔT is set according to the usage requirements. The temperature T2 of the first chamber is detected by the sensor assembly. If t3 ≤ T2 ≤ t4, the rotation speed of the compressor 11 is controlled to maintain the original gear (i.e., the first rotation speed), and at the same time, the first outlet 41 of the first valve body 4 is controlled to be fully open for rapid cooling; if T2 > t4, the first outlet 41 is fully open, and at the same time, the compressor 11 is upshifted (i.e., the second rotation speed) until t3 ≤ T2 ≤ t4, and the compressor 11 returns to the original gear. If T2 < t3, the compressor 11 remains at the first rotation speed, and at the same time, the first outlet 41 is in a throttling state to achieve energy-saving operation and avoid problems such as reduced life and increased energy consumption caused by the long-term upshifting operation of the compressor 11 due to rapid cooling.

[0116] After the first chamber is preferentially refrigerated, the temperature of the first chamber is less than the difference between the third temperature threshold and the temperature variable ΔT, and the first outlet 41 of the first valve body 4 is in a throttling state. The purpose is to prevent the first chamber from reheating and starting to refrigerate again when the second chamber is cooled later, resulting in a situation where the machine cannot stop. After the second chamber is refrigerated, the temperature of the second chamber is less than the difference between the first temperature threshold and the temperature variable ΔT, and the second outlet 42 of the first valve body 4 is in a throttling state. The purpose is to prevent the second chamber from reheating and starting to refrigerate again when the first chamber is cooled later, resulting in a situation where the machine cannot stop.

[0117] In some embodiments, in step S3, controlling the operation of the first valve body 4 and the compressor 11 according to the refrigeration requirement includes:

[0118] According to the fact that both the second chamber and the first chamber have a refrigeration requirement and the refrigeration priority of the second chamber is greater than that of the first chamber, control the first outlet 41 of the first valve body 4 to be in a closed state;

[0119] According to the temperature of the second chamber being between the first temperature threshold and the second temperature threshold, control the rotation speed of the compressor 11 to maintain the current first rotation speed, and at the same time, control the second outlet 42 of the first valve body 4 to be fully open;

[0120] According to the temperature of the second chamber being greater than the second temperature threshold, control the rotation speed of the compressor 11 to be the second rotation speed, and at the same time, control the second outlet 42 of the first valve body 4 to be fully open, where the second rotation speed is greater than the first rotation speed;

[0121] According to the temperature of the second chamber being less than the difference between the first temperature threshold and the temperature variable, control the rotation speed of the compressor 11 to be the first rotation speed, and at the same time, control the second outlet 42 of the first valve body 4 to be in a throttling state;

[0122] Based on the temperature of the first compartment being between the third temperature threshold and the fourth temperature threshold, control the rotational speed of the compressor 11 to maintain the current first rotational speed, and at the same time control the first outlet 41 of the first valve body 4 to be fully open;

[0123] Based on the temperature of the first compartment being greater than the fourth temperature threshold, control the first outlet 41 of the first valve body 4 to be fully open, and at the same time control the rotational speed of the compressor 11 to be the second rotational speed;

[0124] Based on the temperature of the first compartment being less than the difference between the third temperature threshold and the temperature variable, control the rotational speed of the compressor 11 to be the first rotational speed, and at the same time control the first outlet 41 of the first valve body 4 to be in a throttling state.

[0125] In this embodiment, both the second compartment and the first compartment have a refrigeration requirement. After the second compartment is preferentially refrigerated and completed, the temperature of the second compartment is less than that of the first. Both the second compartment and the first compartment have a refrigeration requirement, and the refrigeration priority of the second compartment is higher. Therefore, the second compartment is quickly cooled first, and then the first compartment is quickly cooled. Among them, the first temperature threshold is t1, the second temperature threshold is t2, and t2 > t1. The first rotational speed is f1, the second rotational speed is f2, and f2 > f1. The temperature variable is △T, and the magnitude of △T is set according to the usage requirements. When quickly refrigerating the second compartment, control the first outlet 41 of the first valve body 4 to be in a closed state. Detect the temperature T1 of the second compartment through the sensor assembly. If t1 ≤ T1 ≤ t2, control the rotational speed of the compressor 11 to maintain the original gear (i.e., the first rotational speed), and at the same time control the second outlet 42 of the first valve body 4 to be fully open for quick cooling; if T1 > t2, the second outlet 42 is fully open, and at the same time the compressor 11 makes a gear up process (i.e., the second rotational speed) until t1 ≤ T1 ≤ t2, and the compressor 11 downshifts; if T1 < t1, the compressor 11 returns to the original gear (i.e., the first rotational speed), and at the same time the second outlet 42 is in a throttling state to achieve energy-saving operation and avoid problems such as reduced life and increased energy consumption caused by the long-term gear up operation of the compressor 11 due to quick cooling.

[0126] After the second compartment is refrigerated and completed, the temperature of the second compartment is less than the difference between the first temperature threshold and the temperature variable △T, and the second outlet 42 of the first valve body 4 is in a throttling state. The purpose is to avoid the second compartment from reheating and starting to refrigerate again when the first compartment is cooled later, resulting in a situation where it cannot stop. After the first compartment is refrigerated and completed, the temperature of the first compartment is less than the difference between the third temperature threshold and the temperature variable △T, and the first outlet 41 of the first valve body 4 is in a throttling state. The purpose is to avoid the first compartment from reheating and starting to refrigerate again when the second compartment is cooled later, resulting in a situation where it cannot stop.

[0127] It should be noted that the first temperature threshold t1, the second temperature threshold t2, the third temperature threshold t3, the fourth temperature threshold t4, and the temperature variable ΔT in this embodiment are not fixed values. The first speed and the second speed can correspond to different gears of the compressor 11 in different embodiments and can be adjusted according to different products and usage environments.

[0128] Figure 7 This is a detailed flowchart of a refrigerator control method according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0129] See Figure 7 In some embodiments, the refrigerator further includes a third compartment, and the refrigeration system further includes a third evaporator for cooling the third compartment. Step S3, controlling the operation of the first valve body 4 and the compressor 11 according to the cooling demand, includes:

[0130] Step S31': Since the first, second, and third compartments all have rapid cooling requests, control one of the second, third, and first outlets corresponding to the first valve body to be fully open in sequence according to the arrangement order of the second, third, and first compartments.

[0131] Step S32': When any one or both of the first compartment, the second compartment, and the third compartment have a rapid cooling request, control one or both of the second outlet, the third outlet, and the first outlet corresponding to the first valve body to be fully open, and the rest to be closed.

[0132] In this embodiment, the refrigerator includes a first compartment, a second compartment, and a third compartment. The refrigeration system 10 includes a first evaporator 13 disposed in the first compartment, a second evaporator 14 disposed in the second compartment, and a third evaporator 17 disposed in the third compartment. The first valve body 4 has a first inlet 40, a first outlet 41, a second outlet 42, and a third outlet 45, and each of the first inlet 40, first outlet 41, second outlet 42, and third outlet 45 has a fully open state, a throttling state, and a closed state. The refrigeration system 10 includes three refrigerant branches, which respectively realize the individual refrigeration of the first compartment, the second compartment, and the third compartment. Optionally, the first compartment is a refrigerator compartment, the second compartment is a freezer compartment, and the third compartment is a variable temperature compartment.

[0133] When the temperature difference between the first, second, and third compartments and their respective start-up temperatures all exceed a preset value (which can be 2°C), all three compartments require cooling. For example, after at least one of the first evaporator 13, second evaporator 14, and third evaporator 17 has finished defrosting, the temperature of the corresponding compartment is high, requiring rapid cooling for the first three cycles after defrosting. The priority order for rapid cooling is generally second compartment, third compartment, and first compartment. Simultaneously, all outlets of the first valve body 4 are fully open, allowing for high-flow refrigerant flow, and the compressor 11 is started for rapid cooling. After rapid cooling of a compartment is completed, it is determined whether other compartments require rapid cooling. If so, the outlet corresponding to the first valve body 4 maintains high-flow refrigerant flow for continued cooling, while the refrigerant branches corresponding to the other outlets remain open for pressure stabilization. After one cooling cycle is completed, the compressor 11 stops, and the first valve body 4 remains closed, ensuring pressure is maintained in all three refrigerant branches.

[0134] In some embodiments, step S3, controlling the operation of the first valve body 4 and the compressor 11 according to the cooling demand, includes:

[0135] Step S33': After the rapid cooling mode ends, sort the first, second, and third compartments in descending order of their respective stop temperatures according to the difference between them. Control one of the first, second, and third outlets corresponding to the first valve body to be in a throttling state, while the other two are in a closed state.

[0136] In this embodiment, after the rapid cooling mode ends, a certain compartment of the refrigerator may experience a temperature rebound, causing the temperature of that compartment to rise. Therefore, the refrigerator is controlled to enter an energy-saving cooling mode until the first, second, and third compartments reach their respective shutdown temperatures, and then the compressor is turned off. In energy-saving mode, each outlet of the first valve body 4 is controlled to be in a throttling state, using a small flow rate of refrigerant for cooling, ensuring cooling demand while reducing the refrigerator's cooling energy consumption. During the cooling process, each time one compartment is cooled, the outlets of the first valve body 4 corresponding to the other two compartments are disconnected to maintain pressure, keeping the pressure difference before and after cooling in each refrigerant branch constant, reducing energy loss caused by pressure difference changes. After completing one cooling cycle, the compressor 11 stops, at which time the first valve body 4 remains closed, ensuring that all three refrigerant branches maintain pressure.

[0137] In some embodiments, the refrigerator control method further includes:

[0138] Step S51: Before the compressor 11 starts running, open the first valve body 4 and control the first outlet 41 and / or the second outlet 42 to be in a throttling state; after the compressor 11 stops, close the first valve body 4.

[0139] Step S52: When the first valve body 4 and compressor 11 start simultaneously, the system pipeline has a pressure difference and the compressor 11's discharge pressure is relatively high, which will impact the first valve body 4, thereby reducing its lifespan. Therefore, in this embodiment, the first valve body 4 opens a preset time before the compressor 11 starts, for example, 30 seconds. That is, after the first valve body 4 opens, the compressor 11 starts 30 seconds later, controlling at least one of the first outlet 41 and the second outlet 42 of the first valve body 4 to be in a throttling state. This balances the system pressure, preventing damage due to excessive pressure at startup, and saves refrigerant flow, reducing system power consumption. When the compressor 11 is stopped, the first valve body 4 is closed to maintain the pressure difference between the condenser 12 and each evaporator, preventing the refrigerant in the condenser 12 from vaporizing and absorbing heat from the outside due to pressure reduction, thereby reducing system energy loss and further achieving energy-saving effects.

[0140] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A refrigeration system, characterized in that, include: Refrigeration components, including a compressor, a condenser, a first evaporator, and a second evaporator; A refrigeration cycle circuit includes a main pipeline and a first refrigerant branch and a second refrigerant branch respectively connected to the main pipeline. The first refrigerant branch and the second refrigerant branch are arranged in parallel. The first evaporator is arranged in the first refrigerant branch and the second evaporator is arranged in the second refrigerant branch. The outlet of the first evaporator and the outlet of the second evaporator are both connected to the inlet of the compressor. The compressor and the condenser are arranged sequentially in the main pipeline. as well as A first valve body is disposed at the connection between the first refrigerant branch and the second refrigerant branch and the main pipeline. The first valve body has a first inlet, a first outlet and a second outlet. The first inlet is connected to the outlet of the condenser, the first outlet is connected to the first refrigerant branch, and the second outlet is connected to the second refrigerant branch. Both the first outlet and the second outlet have a fully open state, a throttling state and a closed state.

2. The refrigeration system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first valve body includes a valve seat and a valve block arranged coaxially. The end face of the valve seat is provided with a first inlet, a first outlet and a second outlet that are spaced apart in the circumferential direction. The first outlet includes a first through hole and a first arc-shaped groove communicating with the first through hole. The second outlet includes a second through hole and a second arc-shaped groove communicating with the second through hole. The valve block includes a connecting portion having a first notch and a second notch. The connecting portion is fitted to the end face of the valve seat and is rotatable relative to the valve seat, such that the first notch can selectively communicate with either the first through hole or the first arc-shaped groove, and the second notch can selectively communicate with either the second through hole or the second arc-shaped groove. When the first notch communicates with the first through hole, the first outlet is fully open; when the first notch communicates with the first arc-shaped groove, the first outlet is in a throttling state; when the second notch communicates with the second through hole, the second outlet is fully open; when the second notch communicates with the second arc-shaped groove, the second outlet is in a throttling state; when the remaining portion of the connecting portion (excluding the notch) covers the first outlet, the first outlet is closed; when the remaining portion of the connecting portion (excluding the notch) covers the second outlet, the second outlet is closed.

3. The refrigeration system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The refrigeration assembly further includes a first throttling element and a second throttling element. The first throttling element is disposed in the first refrigerant branch and connected to the inlet of the first evaporator, and the second throttling element is disposed in the second refrigerant branch and connected to the inlet of the second evaporator.

4. The refrigeration system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The refrigeration assembly also includes a third evaporator. The refrigeration cycle circuit also includes a third refrigerant branch connected to the main pipeline. The third refrigerant branch is arranged in parallel with the second refrigerant branch, and the third evaporator is arranged in the third refrigerant branch. The first valve body also has a third outlet, which is connected to the third refrigerant branch, and the third outlet has a fully open state, a throttling state, and a closed state.

5. The refrigeration system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The refrigeration assembly further includes a third throttling element, which is disposed in the third refrigerant branch and connected to the inlet of the third evaporator.

6. The refrigeration system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first valve body includes a valve seat and a valve block arranged coaxially. The end face of the valve seat is provided with the inlet, the first outlet, the second outlet and the third outlet distributed circumferentially. The first outlet includes a first through hole and a first arc-shaped groove communicating with the first through hole. The second outlet includes a second through hole and a second arc-shaped groove communicating with the second through hole. The third outlet includes a third through hole and a third arc-shaped groove communicating with the third through hole. The valve block includes a connecting portion having a first notch, a second notch, and a third notch. The connecting portion is fitted against the end face of the valve seat and is rotatable relative to the valve seat, such that the first notch can selectively communicate with either the first through hole or the first arc-shaped groove; the second notch can selectively communicate with either the second through hole or the second arc-shaped groove; and the third notch can selectively communicate with either the third through hole or the third arc-shaped groove. When the first notch communicates with the first through hole, the first outlet is fully open; when the first notch communicates with the first arc-shaped groove, the first outlet... When the second notch is in a throttling state; when the second notch is connected to the second through hole, the second outlet is in a fully open state; when the second notch is connected to the second arc-shaped groove, the second outlet is in a throttling state; when the third notch is connected to the third through hole, the third outlet is in a fully open state; when the third notch is connected to the third arc-shaped groove, the third outlet is in a throttling state; when the remaining parts of the connecting portion, excluding the first notch, the second notch, and the third notch, respectively cover the first outlet, the second outlet, and the third outlet, the first outlet, the second outlet, and the third outlet are respectively in a closed state.

7. The refrigeration system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The refrigeration cycle circuit also includes a bypass branch, and the refrigeration system also includes an anti-condensation pipe and a second valve body. The anti-condensation pipe is disposed between the first valve body and the second valve body, and the bypass branch is disposed in parallel with the anti-condensation pipe. The second valve body has a second inlet, a fourth outlet and a fifth outlet. The second inlet is connected to the outlet of the condenser, the fourth outlet is connected to the anti-condensation pipe, and the fifth outlet is connected to the bypass branch.

8. A refrigerator, characterized in that, include: The enclosure contains a first compartment and a second compartment. The refrigeration system according to any one of claims 1-7, wherein the first evaporator of the refrigeration system is disposed in the first compartment, and the second evaporator is disposed in the second compartment; Sensor components are used to detect environmental information of the refrigerator, including the temperature of the first compartment and the temperature of the second compartment; as well as The controller is electrically connected to the sensor assembly, the compressor of the refrigeration system, and the first valve body, respectively. The controller is configured to determine the refrigeration needs of the first compartment and the second compartment based on the environmental information, and control the operation of the first valve body and the compressor based on the refrigeration needs.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 8, characterized in that, The enclosure also includes a third compartment, and the refrigeration system also includes a third evaporator disposed in the third compartment; the environmental information also includes the temperature of the third compartment, and the controller is further configured to determine the refrigeration demand of the third compartment based on the environmental information, and control the operation of the first valve body and the compressor based on the refrigeration demand.

10. A method for controlling a refrigerator, applied to the refrigerator as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The control method includes: Obtain environmental information of the refrigerator, including the temperature of the first compartment and the temperature of the second compartment; The cooling requirements of the first and second rooms are determined based on the environmental information. The operation of the first valve body and compressor is controlled according to the cooling demand.

11. The refrigerator control method according to claim 10, characterized in that, The step of controlling the operation of the first valve body and the compressor according to the cooling demand includes: Based on the fact that only the second chamber has a cooling requirement, the first outlet of the first valve body is controlled to be in a closed state. Based on the compressor speed being greater than a first speed threshold, the second outlet of the first valve body is controlled to be fully open; The second outlet of the first valve body is controlled to be in a throttling state when the compressor speed is less than or equal to a first speed threshold.

12. The refrigerator control method according to claim 10, characterized in that, The step of controlling the operation of the first valve body and the compressor according to the cooling demand includes: Based on the fact that only the first chamber has a cooling requirement, the second outlet of the first valve body is controlled to be closed. Based on the compressor's rotational speed being greater than a second rotational speed threshold, the first outlet of the first valve body is controlled to be fully open; Based on the compressor speed being less than or equal to a second speed threshold, the first outlet of the first valve body is controlled to be in a throttling state.

13. The refrigerator control method according to claim 10, characterized in that, The step of controlling the operation of the first valve body and the compressor according to the cooling demand includes: Based on the fact that both the second compartment and the first compartment have cooling needs, and the cooling priority of the second compartment is higher than that of the first compartment, the first outlet of the first valve body is controlled to be closed and the second outlet is controlled to be fully open. Based on the fact that the temperature of the second chamber is greater than the second shutdown temperature, the first outlet of the first valve body is controlled to be closed and the second outlet is controlled to be fully open. Based on the fact that the temperature of the second compartment is less than or equal to the second shutdown temperature, and the cooling operation time of the second compartment is greater than or equal to the first preset time, the first outlet of the first valve body is controlled to be fully open and the second outlet is controlled to be closed. Based on the fact that the temperature of the first chamber is greater than the first shutdown temperature, the first outlet of the first valve body is controlled to be fully open and the second outlet is controlled to be closed.

14. The refrigerator control method according to claim 13, characterized in that, The step of controlling the operation of the first valve body and the compressor according to the cooling demand includes: Based on the fact that both the second compartment and the first compartment have cooling needs, and the cooling priority of the first compartment is higher than that of the second compartment, the first outlet of the first valve body is controlled to be fully open and the second outlet is controlled to be closed. Based on the fact that the temperature of the first chamber is greater than the first shutdown temperature, the first outlet of the first valve body is controlled to be fully open and the second outlet is controlled to be closed. Based on the fact that the temperature of the first compartment is less than or equal to the first shutdown temperature, and the cooling operation time of the first compartment is greater than or equal to the second preset time, the first outlet of the first valve body is controlled to be closed and the second outlet is controlled to be fully open. Based on the fact that the temperature of the second chamber is greater than the second shutdown temperature, the first outlet of the first valve body is controlled to be closed and the second outlet is controlled to be fully open.

15. The refrigerator control method according to claim 10, characterized in that, The step of controlling the operation of the first valve body and the compressor according to the cooling demand includes: Based on the fact that both the first and second chambers have cooling needs and the cooling priority of the first chamber is higher than that of the second chamber, the second outlet of the first valve body is controlled to be in a closed state. Based on the temperature of the first chamber being between the third and fourth temperature thresholds, the compressor speed is controlled to maintain the current first speed, while the first outlet of the first valve body is controlled to be fully open. Based on the fact that the temperature of the first chamber is greater than the fourth temperature threshold, the first outlet of the first valve body is controlled to be fully open, and the speed of the compressor is controlled to be the second speed, wherein the second speed is greater than the first speed. Based on the difference between the temperature of the first chamber and the third temperature threshold and the temperature variable, the speed of the compressor is controlled to the first speed, and the first outlet of the first valve body is controlled to be in a throttling state. Based on the fact that the temperature of the second chamber is between the first temperature threshold and the second temperature threshold, the second outlet of the first valve body is controlled to be fully open, while the speed of the compressor is controlled to maintain the current first speed. Based on the fact that the temperature of the second chamber is greater than the second temperature threshold, the second outlet of the first valve body is controlled to be fully open, and the speed of the compressor is controlled to be the second speed. Based on the difference between the temperature of the second chamber and the first temperature threshold and the temperature variable, the compressor speed is controlled to the first speed, and the second outlet of the first valve body is controlled to be in a throttling state.

16. The refrigerator control method according to claim 10, characterized in that, The step of controlling the operation of the first valve body and the compressor according to the cooling demand includes: Based on the fact that both the first and second compartments have cooling needs, and the cooling priority of the second compartment is higher than that of the first compartment, the first outlet of the first valve body is controlled to be in a closed state. Based on the fact that the temperature of the second chamber is between the first temperature threshold and the second temperature threshold, the compressor speed is controlled to maintain the current first speed, while the second outlet of the first valve body is controlled to be fully open. Based on the fact that the temperature of the second chamber is greater than the second temperature threshold, the speed of the compressor is controlled to the second speed, and at the same time the second outlet of the first valve body is controlled to be fully open, wherein the second speed is greater than the first speed; Based on the difference between the temperature of the second chamber and the first temperature threshold and the temperature variable, the speed of the compressor is controlled to the first speed, and the second outlet of the first valve body is controlled to be in a throttling state. Based on the temperature of the first chamber being between the third and fourth temperature thresholds, the compressor speed is controlled to maintain the first speed, while the first outlet of the first valve body is controlled to be fully open. Based on the fact that the temperature of the first chamber is greater than the fourth temperature threshold, the first outlet of the first valve body is controlled to be fully open, and the speed of the compressor is controlled to be the second speed. Based on the difference between the temperature of the first chamber and the third temperature threshold and the temperature variable, the compressor speed is controlled to the first speed, and the first outlet of the first valve body is controlled to be in a throttling state.

17. The refrigerator control method according to claim 10, characterized in that, The refrigerator further includes a third compartment, and the refrigeration system further includes a third evaporator, which is used to refrigerate the third compartment. Controlling the operation of the first valve body and the compressor according to the refrigeration demand includes: Since the first compartment, the second compartment, and the third compartment all have a rapid cooling request, the second outlet, the third outlet, and the first outlet corresponding to the first valve body are controlled to be fully open in the order of the second compartment, the third compartment, and the first compartment, respectively. When any one or both of the first, second, and third compartments request rapid cooling, the system controls one or both of the second, third, and first outlets corresponding to the first valve body to be fully open, while the others remain closed.

18. The refrigerator control method according to claim 10, characterized in that, The step of controlling the operation of the first valve body and the compressor according to the cooling demand includes: After the rapid cooling mode ends, the first, second, and third compartments are sorted in descending order of their respective shutdown temperatures based on the differences between these temperatures. One of the first, second, and third outlets corresponding to the first valve body is then controlled to be in a throttling state, while the other two are kept closed.

19. The refrigerator control method according to claim 10, characterized in that, The control method further includes: Before the compressor starts operating, the first valve body is opened, and the first outlet and / or the second outlet are controlled to be in a throttling state; After the compressor stops, the first valve body is closed.

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