Refrigerated cabinet
By setting up a cold storage box divided into two chambers and an independent refrigerant circuit in the refrigerator, and using phase change working fluids with different freezing points to achieve temperature control and dehumidification, the problem of heat preservation and dehumidification of the refrigerator when the power is unstable or there is a power outage is solved, and long-term safe storage of medicines and vaccines is achieved.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2026-02-05
- Publication Date
- 2026-04-10
AI Technical Summary
Existing refrigerators cannot simultaneously address the issues of long-term heat preservation and active dehumidification.
The cold storage box is divided into two independent chambers, each filled with a phase change working fluid with a different freezing point. Temperature control and dehumidification functions are achieved through independent refrigerant circuits and heat pipe systems. The cold storage capacity is provided by utilizing the medium and low temperature cold storage characteristics of the phase change working fluid, ensuring that the low temperature environment and dehumidification capacity can still be maintained in the event of unstable power or power outage.
Even in the event of unstable or interrupted power supply, the refrigerator can still reliably maintain the long-term safe temperature and effective low-humidity storage of medicines, vaccines, and other items, ensuring stable temperature and humidity control.
Smart Images
Figure CN121828993A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This application relates to the field of refrigeration equipment technology, specifically providing a refrigerated cabinet. Background Technology
[0002] The safe storage of pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and other biological products is of paramount importance. Their quality stability is highly correlated with the temperature and humidity parameters of the storage environment. Maintaining a suitable temperature and humidity environment can not only prevent the refrigerated products from deteriorating in composition and losing their own moisture due to abnormal temperature and humidity, but also effectively inhibit the growth of microorganisms such as mold, thereby reducing the probability of deterioration of refrigerated products from the source. Therefore, the ability of refrigeration equipment to coordinate temperature and humidity control has become a key design requirement in this field.
[0003] In related technologies, refrigeration equipment is mainly divided into two categories: air-cooled refrigeration equipment and ice-lined refrigeration equipment. Both have some shortcomings in temperature and humidity control, making it difficult to simultaneously meet the dual storage requirements of low temperature and low humidity for refrigerated goods. For example, air-cooled refrigeration equipment relies on direct heat exchange between the evaporator and the air inside the unit to achieve cooling. It also utilizes the characteristic that the surface temperature of the evaporator is lower than the dew point temperature of the air inside the unit to achieve dehumidification. However, due to the poor heat storage capacity of air, the overall insulation performance of this type of equipment is poor. In the event of unstable power supply or sudden power outage, the temperature inside the unit can rise rapidly, making it impossible to maintain the temperature conditions required for refrigeration. Ice-lined refrigeration equipment achieves cooling by exchanging heat between the evaporator and the heat storage material, and then indirectly exchanging heat between the inner liner and the air inside the unit. Although this improves insulation performance, its inner liner temperature can never reach the dew point temperature of the air inside the unit due to its own temperature control design characteristics. This results in a lack of effective active dehumidification capability, making the unit prone to mold growth due to excessive humidity, increasing the risk of spoilage of refrigerated goods.
[0004] Therefore, this application requires a new technical means to solve the above-mentioned technical problems. Summary of the Invention
[0005] This application aims to solve the aforementioned technical problem, namely, the difficulty of existing refrigerators in simultaneously achieving long-term heat preservation and active dehumidification.
[0006] This application provides a refrigerator, including:
[0007] The cabinet has an inner liner inside, and a sandwich layer is formed between the inner liner and the cabinet. The interior of the inner liner forms a cold storage compartment.
[0008] A cold storage box is disposed in the cold storage room. The cold storage box includes a first chamber and a second chamber that are independent of each other. A first phase change working fluid is disposed in the first chamber and a second phase change working fluid is disposed in the second chamber. The freezing point of the first phase change working fluid is higher than that of the second phase change working fluid.
[0009] The refrigerant circuit includes an evaporation pipeline comprising a first evaporation section and a second evaporation section. The first evaporation section is located in the first chamber and provides cooling for the first phase change refrigerant. The second evaporation section is located in the second chamber and provides cooling for the second phase change refrigerant.
[0010] A first heat pipe, one end of which is disposed in the first chamber and the other end extends into the refrigerator compartment;
[0011] The second heat pipe has one end disposed in the second chamber and the other end extending into the refrigerator compartment.
[0012] Optionally, the first heat pipe is fitted to the side wall of the inner liner, and the second heat pipe has a gap with the side wall of the inner liner.
[0013] Optionally, the refrigerator further includes:
[0014] A water collection box is provided in the refrigerator compartment and located below the second heat pipe;
[0015] A drain pipe, which is connected to the water collection box, is used to discharge the condensate in the water collection box to the outside of the refrigerator.
[0016] Optionally, the refrigerator further includes:
[0017] A heating element is disposed in the refrigerator compartment and close to the second heat pipe for defrosting the second heat pipe.
[0018] Optionally, the refrigerator further includes:
[0019] A first temperature sensing element is disposed on the second heat pipe;
[0020] A first controller is communicatively connected to both the heating element and the first temperature sensing element. The controller is used to control the operating state of the heating element based on the detection value of the first temperature sensing element.
[0021] Optionally, the first evaporation section and the second evaporation section are connected in series.
[0022] Optionally, the first evaporation section and the second evaporation section are connected in parallel.
[0023] Optionally, the refrigerator further includes:
[0024] A second temperature sensing element and a third temperature sensing element, wherein the second temperature sensing element is disposed in the first chamber and the third temperature sensing element is disposed in the second chamber;
[0025] A first control valve and a second control valve, wherein the first control valve is connected to the first evaporation section and the second control valve is connected to the second evaporation tube section;
[0026] The second controller is communicatively connected to the second temperature sensing element, the third temperature sensing element, the first control valve, and the second control valve. The second controller controls the opening and closing of the first control valve based on the detection value of the second temperature sensing element, and controls the opening and closing of the second control valve based on the detection value of the third temperature sensing element.
[0027] Optionally, the volume of the first chamber is greater than the volume of the second chamber.
[0028] Optionally, the refrigerator further includes:
[0029] The first insulation layer is disposed within the interlayer;
[0030] The second insulation layer is installed outside the first cavity;
[0031] The third insulation layer is installed outside the second cavity.
[0032] With the above-mentioned technical solution, the refrigerator provided in this application achieves both temperature control and dehumidification functions through cold storage and cold transfer mechanisms. The temperature control and cold preservation process utilizes the low-to-medium temperature cold storage characteristics of the first phase change working fluid to provide cooling capacity, continuously replenishing the cold storage compartment and maintaining it stably within the preset low-temperature storage range. The dehumidification process relies on the low-temperature cold storage characteristics of the second phase change working fluid to provide cooling capacity, continuously cooling the air flowing over the condensation surface to below the dew point, causing water vapor to condense and precipitate, thereby achieving continuous control of humidity within the refrigerator compartment. Furthermore, the cooling capacity required for both processes is pre-stored in the phase change working fluid. Therefore, even in the event of an external power outage, the system can still rely on the stored cooling capacity to simultaneously maintain the low-temperature environment and dehumidification capacity of the refrigerator compartment. This characteristic ensures that, even in scenarios of unstable or intermittent power outages, the refrigerator can reliably achieve the dual goals of long-term safe insulation and effective low-humidity storage of items such as medicines and vaccines. Attached Figure Description
[0033] The preferred embodiments of this application are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0034] Figure 1 This is one of the structural schematic diagrams of a refrigerator provided in the embodiments of this application, showing the internal structure of the refrigerator from a first-person perspective;
[0035] Figure 2 This is the second structural schematic diagram of the refrigerator provided in the embodiments of this application, showing the internal structure of the refrigerator from a second perspective;
[0036] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 Enlarged structural diagram at point A;
[0037] Figure 4 This is a structural schematic diagram of the cold storage box and the first and second heat pipes provided in the embodiments of this application, showing the structural positional relationship between the cold storage box and the two heat pipes;
[0038] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the cold storage box provided in an embodiment of this application;
[0039] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the water receiving box provided in an embodiment of this application;
[0040] Figure 7 This is one of the schematic diagrams of the refrigerant circuit given in the embodiments of this application, showing that the first evaporation section and the second evaporation section are connected in series;
[0041] Figure 8 This is the second schematic diagram of the refrigerant circuit provided in the embodiments of this application, showing that the first evaporation section and the second evaporation section are connected in parallel.
[0042] In the figure, the reference numerals refer to the following:
[0043] 1-Refrigerator, 11-Cabinet body, 12-Inner liner, 121-Snap fastener, 13-Cold storage box, 131-First chamber, 132-Second chamber, 151-First heat pipe, 152-Second heat pipe, 161-Water collection box, 162-Drain pipe, 17-Heating element, 181-First insulation layer, 182-Second insulation layer, 183-Third insulation layer, 21-Compressor, 221-First evaporation section, 222-Second evaporation section, 23-Throttling device, 24-Condenser, 31-First control valve, 32-Second control valve. Detailed Implementation
[0044] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Those skilled in the art should understand that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the technical principles of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make adjustments as needed to adapt to specific application scenarios.
[0045] It should be noted that in the description of this invention, terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "inner," and "outer," which indicate direction or positional relationships, are based on the direction or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. These are used merely for ease of description and do not indicate or imply that the relevant devices or elements must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention. Furthermore, ordinal numbers such as "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.
[0046] Furthermore, it should be noted that, in the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation" and "connection" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.
[0047] The refrigerator 1 provided in this application can be used for storing refrigerated goods such as medicines and vaccines that have strict requirements for temperature and humidity. It can also be adapted to other refrigeration scenarios requiring precise temperature and humidity control. (Reference) Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the basic load-bearing structure of the refrigerator 1 is the cabinet body 11 and the inner liner 12. The inner liner 12 is embedded inside the cabinet body 11, and the two form a sandwich structure. The enclosed space of the inner liner 12 constitutes a refrigerator compartment for storing refrigerated items.
[0048] Furthermore, in conjunction with references Figures 3 to 5 The core improvement of the refrigerator 1 lies in the installation of a cold storage box 13 located inside the refrigerator compartment. This cold storage box 13 is divided into two physically independent chambers: a first chamber 131 and a second chamber 132. The two chambers are filled with a first phase change working fluid and a second phase change working fluid, respectively, and the freezing point of the first phase change working fluid is higher than that of the second phase change working fluid, forming a two-stage cold storage structure with high and low temperatures.
[0049] In one specific implementation, each of the first chamber 131 and the second chamber 132 has an independent injection hole at its top for adding the phase change working fluid into the corresponding chamber. A sealing cap is fitted at each injection hole to seal the chamber after injection. Simultaneously, vertical liquid level observation tubes are installed on the outer walls of both chambers, with both ends connected to the interior of the corresponding chamber. This allows for direct observation of the liquid level of the phase change working fluid within the chamber, facilitating precise control of the injection volume and real-time monitoring of the working fluid's quantity, ensuring stable cold storage functionality.
[0050] Meanwhile, the refrigerator 1 is also equipped with a refrigerant circuit and two heat pipes. The refrigerant circuit adopts a compressor-type refrigeration structure, including a compressor 21, an evaporator, a throttling device 23, and a condenser 24 connected in sequence. The evaporator's evaporation pipes include a first evaporation section 221 and a second evaporation section 222, which are respectively placed in the first chamber 131 and the second chamber 132, releasing cold energy by directly exchanging heat with the phase change refrigerant. The two heat pipes are a first heat pipe 151 and a second heat pipe 152, both of which serve as carriers for cold energy transfer, realizing the cold energy exchange between the cold storage box 13 and the refrigerator compartment. Specifically, one end of the first heat pipe 151 extends into the first chamber 131 to contact the first phase change refrigerant, and the other end extends into the refrigerator compartment. One end of the second heat pipe 152 extends into the second chamber 132 to contact the second phase change refrigerant, and the other end extends into the refrigerator compartment.
[0051] The implementation principle of the scheme in this application will be explained in detail below.
[0052] The refrigerant circuit is the core unit for supplying cooling capacity. During operation, the first evaporation section 221 and the second evaporation section 222 directly exchange heat with the phase change working fluid in their respective chambers and release cooling capacity, causing the phase change working fluid in the chambers to undergo a liquid-to-solid phase change, thereby storing the cooling capacity. Since the freezing point of the first phase change working fluid is higher than that of the second phase change working fluid, two levels of low-temperature cold storage sources are formed. For example, the freezing point of the first phase change working fluid can be designed to be approximately 0°C. The cooling capacity it stores is transferred to the refrigeration chamber through the first heat pipe 151, aiming to create and maintain a stable and uniform low-temperature environment that meets the safety standards for pharmaceutical storage (such as 2°C-8°C), thereby ensuring the core preservation requirements of stored items. The freezing point of the second phase change working fluid can be designed to be approximately -5°C. The cooling capacity it stores is transferred to the refrigeration chamber through the second heat pipe 152, aiming to create and maintain a condensation surface with a temperature significantly lower than the air dew point, thereby causing water vapor in the air flowing over its surface to condense and precipitate, thus achieving active dehumidification.
[0053] Both the first heat pipe 151 and the second heat pipe 152 are high-efficiency heat transfer devices based on the phase change heat transfer principle, and both heat pipes are encapsulated with a heat transfer medium. Taking the first heat pipe 151 as an example, its working principle is as follows: The first end of the first heat pipe 151 extends into the first chamber 131 and is in close contact with the low-temperature first phase change medium. Its second end is fixed and attached to the side wall of the inner liner 12 by mechanical structures such as the clip 121. When the temperature inside the refrigerator rises, the heat from the side wall of the inner liner 12 is transferred to the second end of the heat pipe, causing the liquid heat transfer medium inside that end to absorb heat and evaporate into a gaseous state. The resulting high-pressure vapor, driven by a slight pressure difference inside the pipe, quickly flows to the first end, which is in a low-temperature environment. The vapor exchanges heat with the low-temperature first phase change medium at the first end, releases heat, and re-condenses into a liquid. The condensed liquid medium then flows back to the second end by gravity, thus completing an automatic and continuous phase change cycle. Through this cycle, heat is transferred from the side wall of the inner liner 12 to the first phase change working fluid, thereby maintaining the temperature of the side wall of the inner liner 12 and the refrigerator compartment it encloses at a stable and uniform set low temperature. Furthermore, in order to make the temperature more uniform, multiple first heat pipes 151 are provided, and multiple first heat pipes 151 are spaced apart and attached to the side wall surface of the inner liner 12.
[0054] In one specific implementation, the length and number of the first heat pipes 151 are designed to be adapted to the heat load of the refrigerator compartment. The core matching logic is to determine the number of heat pipes 151 to be installed by combining the total heat load of the refrigerator compartment and the heat transfer power of a single first heat pipe 151, so that the total heat transfer capacity of multiple first heat pipes 151 is slightly higher than the total heat load of the refrigerator compartment, thus completing the initial matching design. During the actual commissioning stage, the length and specific installation position of the first heat pipes 151 are further adjusted according to the actual temperature control performance and internal temperature uniformity of the refrigerator compartment to ensure that the temperature inside the refrigerator compartment remains stable and evenly distributed.
[0055] Because the freezing point of the second phase change refrigerant is significantly lower than that of the first phase change refrigerant, the second heat pipe 152 operates in a lower temperature range to create a localized deep-cool environment within the refrigerator compartment for dehumidification. Accordingly, the placement of the second heat pipe 152 within the inner liner 12 differs from that of the first heat pipe 151. Specifically, the first end of the second heat pipe 152 contacts the second phase change refrigerant to obtain cooling, while its second end is suspended within the refrigerator compartment and physically separated from all walls of the inner liner 12. This suspended installation method serves a dual purpose. First, it physically isolates the direct conduction of the low-temperature cooling energy of the second heat pipe 152 to the inner liner 12, avoiding the risk of damage to stored items due to excessively cold inner liner 12 walls, and ensuring the uniformity and stability of the main body temperature of the refrigerator compartment. Second, it allows the second end to form a localized deep low-temperature zone in the surrounding air. In this way, when humid air in the refrigerator compartment flows over this low-temperature surface, water vapor can condense and precipitate on the surface of the second heat pipe 152, forming liquid water droplets, thereby achieving the purpose of dehumidification.
[0056] In summary, the refrigerator 1 provided in this application achieves both temperature control and dehumidification functions through cold storage and cold transfer mechanisms. The temperature control and cold preservation process utilizes the low-to-medium temperature cold storage characteristics of the first phase change working fluid to provide cooling capacity, continuously replenishing the cold storage compartment and maintaining it stably within the preset low-temperature storage range. The dehumidification process relies on the low-temperature cold storage characteristics of the second phase change working fluid to provide cooling capacity, continuously cooling the air flowing over the condensation surface to below the dew point, causing water vapor to condense and precipitate, thereby achieving continuous control of humidity within the cold storage compartment. Furthermore, the cooling capacity required for both processes is pre-stored in the phase change working fluid. Therefore, even in the event of an external power outage, the system can still rely on the stored cooling capacity to simultaneously maintain the low-temperature environment and dehumidification capacity of the cold storage compartment. This characteristic ensures that, even in scenarios of unstable or intermittent power outages, the refrigerator 1 can reliably achieve the dual goals of long-term safe insulation and effective low-humidity storage of items such as medicines and vaccines.
[0057] In one specific embodiment, the interlayer between the cabinet 11 and the inner liner 12 is filled with a first insulation layer 181 as basic heat insulation to block heat exchange between the refrigerator compartment and the external environment, reduce the outward loss of cold energy from the refrigerator compartment, reduce the refrigeration load of the refrigerant circuit, and improve the overall insulation performance of the refrigerator 1. Furthermore, the first chamber 131 is surrounded by a second insulation layer 182, and the second chamber 132 is surrounded by a third insulation layer 183 to prevent heat diffusion from the cold storage box 13 to the refrigerator compartment. The second insulation layer 182 and the third insulation layer 183 provide precise local insulation for the two chambers, effectively preventing cross-heat exchange between the first chamber 131 and the second chamber 132, preventing interference between the high and low temperature cold storage sources, ensuring the stability of the cold storage temperature of the phase change working fluid in each chamber, ensuring precise and controllable cold energy supply for temperature control and dehumidification, thereby improving the refrigerator 1's ability to maintain temperature and humidity continuously under power failure conditions, and better meeting the needs of long-term storage of refrigerated goods.
[0058] In one embodiment, reference Figure 7 The first evaporation section 221 and the second evaporation section 222 of the refrigerant circuit are connected in series, and they are sequentially connected in the refrigerant circuit along the flow direction of the refrigerant. In this way, the low-temperature refrigerant first releases cold energy to the first phase change working fluid in the first chamber 131 through the first evaporation section 221 in the evaporation pipeline, supplementing the main cold storage source for temperature control in the cold storage compartment and ensuring a sufficient supply of cold energy for temperature control. Then, the refrigerant continues to flow through the second evaporation section 222, releasing cold energy to the second phase change working fluid in the second chamber 132, completing the cold storage operation in the second chamber 132.
[0059] In another embodiment, reference Figure 8 The first evaporation section 221 and the second evaporation section 222 of the refrigerant circuit are set in parallel to form two independent refrigerant circulation branches.
[0060] In one embodiment, the volume of the first chamber 131 of the cold storage box 13 is larger than the volume of the second chamber 132. Furthermore, since the first chamber 131 has a larger volume, to meet the functional requirements of the refrigerator 1—with stable temperature control as the core and dehumidification as an auxiliary function—a larger continuous cooling capacity is needed. Therefore, in a preferred embodiment, the first evaporation section 221 is configured as a plate heat exchanger. Plate heat exchangers have the characteristics of high heat exchange efficiency and large heat exchange area, which can quickly replenish the cooling capacity of the phase change working fluid in the larger first chamber 131, meeting the continuous cooling capacity requirements of the refrigerator temperature control. The second chamber 132 has a smaller volume, and the second evaporation section 222 is configured as a tubular heat exchanger. Tubular heat exchangers have a compact structure and smooth flow channels, adapting to the limited installation space, and can achieve efficient heat exchange between the refrigerant and the second phase change working fluid, balancing heat exchange efficiency and structural adaptability.
[0061] In one embodiment, to further optimize the dehumidification stability of the refrigerator 1, a defrosting and condensate drainage structure is added to the refrigerator 1. Specifically, since the second end of the second heat pipe 152 needs to be maintained at a low temperature below the dew point temperature of the air in the refrigerator compartment, during long-term operation or when the humidity in the refrigerator compartment is high and the temperature fluctuates, water vapor in the air condenses and precipitates on the surface of the evaporation end. If the temperature of the second end remains below the freezing point, the condensate will gradually condense into frost, covering the surface of the evaporation end, resulting in a reduction in the heat exchange area of the heat pipe and a decrease in heat transfer efficiency. Therefore, a heating element 17 is provided at the second end of the second heat pipe 152. Its function is to gently heat the second heat pipe 152, so that the frost on the surface melts quickly and restores the normal heat transfer and dehumidification performance of the heat pipe. The heating element 17 adopts a low-power electric heating plate, which is set in close contact with the outer peripheral wall of the second heat pipe 152 and retains a preset safety gap, so as to achieve uniform heating and avoid damage to the heat pipe structure.
[0062] At the same time, in conjunction with reference Figure 2 and Figure 6 The refrigerator compartment is also equipped with a water collection box 161 and a drain pipe 162. The water collection box 161 is fixedly installed inside the refrigerator compartment and located below the second heat pipe 152. It is used to collect liquid water droplets condensed on the surface of the second heat pipe 152 and water melted during defrosting. One end of the drain pipe 162 is connected to the inside of the water collection box 161, and the other end extends through the inner liner 12 and the cabinet body 11 to the outside of the refrigerator 1, so as to discharge the condensate collected in the water collection box 161 to the outside of the refrigerator 1 in a timely manner and avoid water accumulation.
[0063] In one embodiment, to achieve automated and precise control of defrosting of the second heat pipe 152 and avoid frost buildup affecting dehumidification efficiency, a first temperature sensing element is provided at the second end of the second heat pipe 152. This element is used to collect the surface temperature of the second end. A first controller is communicatively connected to both the first temperature sensing element and the heating element 17. The controller receives temperature detection signals and outputs corresponding control commands. Specifically, the first controller is configured to execute the following defrosting control logic: acquire the temperature signal from the temperature sensing element located on the second heat pipe in real time; when the temperature indicated by the temperature signal remains below a first preset temperature for a first preset duration, control the heating element to start and heat the second heat pipe for defrosting; when the temperature indicated by the temperature signal rises above a second preset temperature, control the heating element to stop heating; wherein, the first preset temperature is lower than the phase change temperature of the second phase change working fluid, and the second preset temperature is higher than the phase change temperature of the second phase change working fluid.
[0064] In one specific embodiment, the first controller presets a frosting detection threshold of -6℃ and a defrosting stop threshold of 1℃. This threshold setting is adapted to the freezing point of the second phase change working fluid at -5℃ and the dew point temperature of the refrigerator compartment at -3℃. During operation, the first temperature detection element transmits the detected temperature signal of the second heat pipe 152 to the first controller. When the temperature exceeds -6℃ and this state is maintained for 3 minutes (to avoid misjudgment caused by temperature fluctuations), the first controller determines that the second heat pipe 152 has frosted and immediately outputs a start command to control the heating element 17 to start at low power to gently heat the second heat pipe 152. As the heating process progresses, the first temperature detection element provides real-time feedback on temperature changes. When the temperature rises to 1°C, the first controller determines that the frost has completely melted and immediately outputs a stop command to control the heating element 17 to shut down, completing one automatic defrosting cycle. Afterward, the first temperature detection element continues to monitor and repeats the above logic to achieve automatic frost identification and automatic defrosting, ensuring that the second heat pipe 152 always maintains good heat transfer and dehumidification performance, while avoiding energy waste and refrigeration temperature fluctuations caused by overheating.
[0065] In one embodiment, when the first evaporation section 221 and the second evaporation section 222 are arranged in parallel, to ensure that the first chamber 131 and the second chamber 132 maintain stable medium-low and low temperatures respectively, the first evaporation section 221 is connected in series with a first control valve 31, and the second evaporation section 222 is connected in series with a second control valve 32. Correspondingly, the first chamber 131 and the second chamber 132 are respectively provided with a second temperature detection element and a third temperature detection element, both of which are used to detect the actual temperature of the phase change working fluid in the corresponding chamber in real time. The second controller is communicatively connected to the second temperature detection element, the third temperature detection element, the first control valve 31, and the second control valve 32, and can synchronously receive two temperature signals and output control commands respectively. In one specific embodiment, the freezing point of the first phase change working fluid is set to 0°C for refrigeration temperature control, and the freezing point of the second phase change working fluid is set to -5°C for refrigeration dehumidification. Accordingly, the second controller presets two sets of temperature control ranges: the target temperature range of the phase change working fluid in the first chamber 131 is -1°C to 1°C, the cooling start threshold is 1°C, and the cooling stop threshold is -1°C; the target temperature range of the phase change working fluid in the second chamber 132 is -6°C to -4°C, the cooling start threshold is -4°C, and the cooling stop threshold is -6°C.
[0066] During operation, the second and third temperature sensing elements detect the temperature of the phase change working fluid in the two chambers respectively and transmit the signals synchronously to the second controller, realizing independent control and coordinated operation of the two chambers: When the second temperature sensing element detects that the temperature of the first phase change working fluid rises to 1°C, it indicates that its cold storage capacity is insufficient and cannot meet the subsequent temperature control requirements. The second controller immediately outputs a command to open the first control valve 31, and the liquid refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit flows through the first evaporation section 221 to release cold energy to the first phase change working fluid, prompting it to complete phase change cold storage. When the temperature drops to -1°C, the first control valve 31 is closed to stop the cooling supply and avoid excessive cooling and energy waste. When the third temperature sensing element detects that the temperature of the second phase change working fluid rises to -4°C, it indicates that its cold storage capacity cannot support the dehumidification requirements of the second heat pipe 152. The second controller outputs a command to open the second control valve 32, and the refrigerant flows through the second evaporation section 222 to cool the second phase change working fluid. When the temperature drops to -6°C, the second control valve 32 is closed to stop the cooling supply. If both chambers reach the cooling start threshold simultaneously, the two control valves open synchronously, and the refrigerant circuit simultaneously supplies cooling to both chambers, ensuring that the two-stage cold storage source is always maintained within the target temperature range, providing stable cooling capacity for temperature control and dehumidification functions.
[0067] In one specific implementation, mounting holes are respectively provided on the cold storage box 13 at the positions corresponding to the first chamber 131 and the second chamber 132. The mounting hole corresponding to the first chamber 131 is for the installation of the second temperature detection element, and the mounting hole corresponding to the second chamber 132 is for the installation of the third temperature detection element. The diameter of each mounting hole is adapted to the corresponding temperature detection element, so that the detection end of the temperature detection element can extend into the corresponding chamber and contact the phase change working fluid.
[0068] Furthermore, it should be noted that although this application is exemplarily described with the first controller and the second controller set separately, those skilled in the art should understand that in practical applications, the first controller and the second controller can be integrated into a single controller. This single controller can independently execute the aforementioned defrosting control function of the second heat pipe 152 and the temperature regulation function of the dual-chamber phase change working fluid of the cold storage box 13 through built-in control programs or modular control logic. Its control principle is substantially the same as the control principle of the two separate controllers, and both can achieve the aforementioned automatic control effect of this application. The above structural adjustment does not depart from the technical concept and protection scope of this application.
[0069] The technical solutions of this application have been described above with reference to the preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. However, it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the scope of protection of this application is obviously not limited to these specific embodiments. Without departing from the principles of this application, those skilled in the art can make equivalent changes or substitutions to the relevant technical features, and the technical solutions after these changes or substitutions will all fall within the scope of protection of this application.
Claims
1. A refrigerator (1), characterized in that, include: The cabinet (11) has an inner liner (12) inside, and a sandwich layer is formed between the inner liner (12) and the cabinet (11). The interior of the inner liner (12) forms a cold storage compartment. A cold storage box (13) is disposed in the cold storage room. The cold storage box (13) includes a first chamber (131) and a second chamber (132) that are independent of each other. A first phase change working fluid is disposed in the first chamber (131) and a second phase change working fluid is disposed in the second chamber (132). The freezing point of the first phase change working fluid is higher than that of the second phase change working fluid. The refrigerant circuit includes a first evaporation section (221) and a second evaporation section (222) in its evaporation pipeline. The first evaporation section (221) is located in the first chamber (131) and provides cooling for the first phase change working fluid. The second evaporation section (222) is located in the second chamber (132) and provides cooling for the second phase change working fluid. A first heat pipe (151) is disposed at one end in the first chamber (131) and extends to the refrigerator compartment at the other end; The second heat pipe (152) has one end disposed in the second chamber (132) and the other end extending into the refrigerator compartment.
2. The refrigerator (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first heat pipe (151) is attached to the side wall of the inner liner (12), and there is a gap between the second heat pipe (152) and the side wall of the inner liner (12).
3. The refrigerator (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that, The refrigerator (1) also includes: A water collection box (161) is disposed in the refrigerator compartment and located below the second heat pipe (152); A drain pipe (162) is connected to the water collection box (161) to discharge the condensate in the water collection box (161) to the outside of the refrigerator (1).
4. The refrigerator (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that, The refrigerator (1) also includes: A heating element (17) is disposed in the refrigerator compartment and close to the second heat pipe (152) for defrosting the second heat pipe (152).
5. The refrigerator (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that, The refrigerator (1) also includes: A first temperature sensing element is disposed on the second heat pipe (152); A first controller is communicatively connected to the heating element (17) and the first temperature detection element, respectively. The controller is used to control the operating state of the heating element (17) according to the detection value of the first temperature detection element.
6. The refrigerator (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first evaporation section (221) and the second evaporation section (222) are connected in series.
7. The refrigerator (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first evaporation section (221) and the second evaporation section (222) are connected in parallel.
8. The refrigerator (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that, The refrigerator (1) also includes: A second temperature sensing element and a third temperature sensing element, wherein the second temperature sensing element is disposed in the first chamber (131) and the third temperature sensing element is disposed in the second chamber (132); A first control valve (31) and a second control valve (32), wherein the first control valve (31) is connected to the first evaporation section (221) and the second control valve (32) is connected to the second evaporation tube section; The second controller is communicatively connected to the second temperature sensing element, the third temperature sensing element, the first control valve (31), and the second control valve (32). The second controller controls the opening and closing of the first control valve (31) according to the detection value of the second temperature sensing element, and controls the opening and closing of the second control valve (32) according to the detection value of the third temperature sensing element.
9. The refrigerator (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The volume of the first chamber (131) is greater than the volume of the second chamber (132).
10. The refrigerator (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The refrigerator (1) also includes: The first insulation layer (181) is disposed within the interlayer; The second insulation layer (182) is disposed outside the first chamber (131); The third insulation layer (183) is disposed outside the second chamber (132).