Refrigerator and control method thereof

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention provides a refrigerator and a control method thereof, and the refrigerator comprises a refrigerating chamber which comprises an inner container and a shell; the evaporator assembly comprises an evaporator coil and a cold storage unit, at least part of the evaporator coil is embedded into the cold storage unit, and the evaporator coil and the cold storage unit are both arranged between the inner container and the shell; wherein the cold storage unit is used for storing cold energy when a compressor of the refrigerator runs, and is used for releasing the cold energy when the compressor of the refrigerator stops. At least part of the evaporator coil pipe is embedded into the cold storage unit, namely, the evaporator coil pipe and the cold storage unit are integrally arranged, so that on one hand, the evaporator assembly can be conveniently assembled, and on the other hand, energy regulation and control can be directly carried out from the cold source end; the energy consumption is reduced; and the influence of the temperature fluctuation of the refrigerating chamber on the fresh-keeping effect of the food materials is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of refrigerator technology, and in particular relates to a refrigerator and its control method. Background Technology

[0002] In direct-cooling refrigerators, temperature stability and energy efficiency in the refrigerator compartment are key technical indicators. Traditional direct-cooling systems rely on the evaporator coil to directly absorb heat. When the compressor stops, the temperature in the refrigerator compartment rises rapidly, causing the compressor to start and stop frequently. This not only increases energy consumption but also leads to large temperature fluctuations in the refrigerator compartment, affecting the preservation of fruits, vegetables, and other foods. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This application provides a refrigerator and its control method, which aims to solve the problems of large temperature fluctuations in the refrigerator compartment and frequent compressor start-stop.

[0004] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a refrigerator, comprising: The refrigerator compartment includes an inner liner and an outer shell; An evaporator assembly includes an evaporator coil and a cold storage unit, wherein at least a portion of the evaporator coil is embedded in the cold storage unit, and both the evaporator coil and the cold storage unit are disposed between the inner liner and the outer shell; The cold storage unit is used to store cold energy when the refrigerator's compressor is running, and to release cold energy when the refrigerator's compressor is stopped.

[0005] Optionally, the cold storage unit includes a housing with a receiving cavity for accommodating phase change material.

[0006] Optionally, the phase change temperature range of the phase change material is -2℃ to 2℃.

[0007] Optionally, the cold storage unit further includes a heat-conducting plate disposed on one side of the housing, and the heat-conducting plate is provided with a receiving groove for accommodating the evaporator coil.

[0008] Optionally, the evaporator coil is connected to the heat-conducting plate via a heat-conducting connection process.

[0009] Optionally, the thermally conductive connection process includes aluminum brazing, thermally conductive adhesive bonding, or mechanical pressing.

[0010] Optionally, the heat-conducting plate is made of metal.

[0011] Optionally, the evaporator coil includes: The first section of the coil is at least partially embedded in the cold storage unit; The second section of the coil is connected to the first section of the coil.

[0012] Optionally, the second section of the coil extends horizontally and protrudes beyond the first section of the coil.

[0013] Secondly, embodiments of this application also provide a control method for a refrigerator using any of the preceding claims, comprising: In response to the compressor starting up, the refrigerant flows through the evaporator coil, and in the process of lowering the temperature of the cold compartment, the cold energy is transferred to the phase change material of the cold storage unit, causing it to solidify and store latent heat. After the compressor stops, the phase change material of the cold storage unit releases cold energy into the cold storage compartment when the temperature exceeds the phase change point temperature.

[0014] In the refrigerator and its control method of this application embodiment, by embedding at least part of the evaporator coil into the cold storage unit, that is, by setting the evaporator coil and the cold storage unit as one unit, it is convenient to assemble the evaporator assembly. On the other hand, energy can be directly regulated from the cold source end, extending the compressor's downtime and reducing energy consumption, as well as reducing the impact of temperature fluctuations in the refrigerator compartment on the food preservation effect. Attached Figure Description

[0015] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0016] To gain a more complete understanding of this application and its beneficial effects, the following description will be provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the following description, the same reference numerals denote the same parts.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a refrigerator provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a cold storage unit in a refrigerator provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0019] Figure 3 This is an exploded structural diagram of an evaporator assembly in a refrigerator provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0020] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating the refrigerator control method provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of them. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0022] In direct-cooling refrigerators, temperature stability and energy efficiency in the refrigerator compartment are key technical indicators. Traditional direct-cooling systems rely on the evaporator coil to directly absorb heat. When the compressor stops, the temperature in the refrigerator compartment rises rapidly, causing the compressor to start and stop frequently. This not only increases energy consumption but also causes large temperature fluctuations inside the refrigerator, affecting the preservation of fruits, vegetables, and other foods.

[0023] In order to reduce refrigerator energy consumption and minimize the impact on food preservation, this application provides a refrigerator and its control method, which will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0024] For example, please refer to Figure 1 As shown, Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a refrigerator provided in an embodiment of this application. The refrigerator 100 includes a refrigerator compartment 110 and an evaporator assembly 120.

[0025] The refrigerator compartment 110 has storage space and is used to store food for short-term use, or to keep food fresh. The storage temperature of the refrigerator compartment 110 is usually between -4°C and 4°C. The refrigerator compartment 110 includes an inner liner 112 and an outer shell 114. The inner liner 112 is the internal material that comes into direct contact with the food, and the outer shell 114 is the external shape of the refrigerator compartment 110. Foam material can be filled between the inner liner 112 and the outer shell 114 to improve the stability of the refrigerator compartment 110. The inner liner 112 can be independently set, and the outer shell 114 can be integrally formed with the overall outer shell of the refrigerator 100. Since the refrigerator 100 can have only a refrigerator compartment 110, or it can have a refrigerator compartment, a freezer compartment, or a variable temperature compartment, the overall outer shell of the refrigerator 100 is different when there are different compartments. This application embodiment does not specifically limit this.

[0026] The refrigerator compartment 110 also has a door, and the inner liner 112 and the outer shell 114 form an integral part with an opening. The door and the outer shell 114 are rotatably connected to allow the opening to be exposed or closed, so as to meet the user's needs for food storage and retrieval at different times.

[0027] The evaporator assembly 120 is the main component for transferring cold energy to the refrigerator compartment 110. The evaporator assembly 120 includes an evaporator coil 122 and a cold storage unit 124, both of which are located between the inner liner 112 and the outer shell 114, and can be positioned behind the inner liner 112 corresponding to the door of the refrigerator compartment 110. The compressor is the power source for generating cold energy. The evaporator coil 122 is connected to the compressor, and refrigerant flows in the evaporator coil 122, enabling the transfer of cold energy to the refrigerator compartment 110, thereby achieving cooling of the refrigerator compartment 110. The cold storage unit 124 stores cold energy during compressor operation and releases it when the compressor stops, thereby extending the compressor's downtime and reducing the increased energy consumption caused by frequent compressor starts.

[0028] At least a portion of the evaporator coil 122 is embedded in the cold storage unit 124, meaning that the two can be used as an independent module. This allows for easy direct embedding between the inner liner 112 and the outer shell 114 of the refrigerator compartment 110 during assembly, improving assembly convenience and reducing the space occupied by the independent evaporator coil 122 and the cold storage unit 124.

[0029] In the refrigerator 100 provided in this application embodiment, by embedding at least a portion of the evaporator coil 122 into the cold storage unit 124, that is, by integrating the evaporator coil 122 and the cold storage unit 124 together, it is possible to facilitate the assembly of the evaporator assembly 120, and also to directly regulate energy from the cold source end, thereby extending the compressor's downtime, reducing energy consumption, and reducing the impact of temperature fluctuations in the refrigerator compartment 110 on the food preservation effect.

[0030] For example, please refer to Figure 1 And see Figure 2 As shown, Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a cold storage unit in a refrigerator provided in an embodiment of this application. The cold storage unit 124 includes a housing 1240, which has a receiving cavity for accommodating a phase change material. The dimensions of the housing 1240 can be set according to the volume of the refrigerator compartment 110, and are not specifically limited here.

[0031] The housing 1240 is sealed and can be integrally molded during manufacturing, thereby reducing the risk of phase change material leakage.

[0032] It should be noted that the phase change temperature of the phase change material is set according to the set temperature of the refrigerator compartment 110. The phase change temperature of the phase change material needs to be slightly higher than the set temperature of the refrigerator compartment 110 but lower than the operating temperature of the evaporator assembly 120. For example, the phase change temperature range of the phase change material is -2℃ to 2℃. For instance, for a refrigerator compartment 110 with a temperature of 4℃, a phase change material with a phase change temperature of 0℃ can be selected.

[0033] To improve the efficiency of heat transfer from the phase change material, the cold storage unit 124 in this embodiment further includes a heat-conducting plate 1242. The heat-conducting plate 1242 is disposed on one side of the housing 1240, and the heat-conducting plate 1242 has a receiving groove for accommodating the evaporator coil 122. The shape of the receiving groove is adapted to the evaporator coil 122, such as a coiled or bent shape. The size of the heat-conducting plate 1242 is adapted to the size of the housing 1240, such as having the same area as the housing 1240 and being overlapped and fitted together.

[0034] The heat-conducting plate 1242 is used to transfer the cold energy of the phase change material. Therefore, the heat-conducting plate 1242 can be made of a high thermal conductivity material, such as a metal material, such as an aluminum plate.

[0035] The evaporator coil 122 and the heat-conducting plate 1242 are connected by a heat-conducting connection process, which includes aluminum brazing, high-temperature heat-conducting adhesive bonding, or mechanical pressing.

[0036] In other words, in this embodiment of the application, the heat-conducting plate 1242 and the housing 1240 can be integrally formed. The distance between the heat-conducting plate 1242 and the receiving cavity wall of the housing 1240 should not be too large to improve the efficiency of heat transfer from the phase change material. When connecting the heat-conducting plate 1242 to the evaporator coil 122, a high-temperature thermal conductivity connection process can be used, that is, the evaporator coil 122 is fixed to the surface of the heat-conducting plate 1242 through a high thermal conductivity connection process to achieve a large-area, firm surface contact. For example, the evaporator coil 122 can be embedded in the serpentine receiving groove of the heat-conducting plate 1242 and welded, thereby forming a heat transfer path with low thermal resistance among the evaporator coil 122, the heat-conducting plate 1242, and the phase change material.

[0037] It should be noted that the evaporator coil 122 in this embodiment can be an integral evaporator in a refrigerator 100 that has both a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment. That is, by cooperating with the compressor, the evaporator coil 122 can cool the refrigerator compartment 110 and the freezer compartment respectively.

[0038] For example, please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 And see Figure 3 As shown, Figure 3 This is an exploded structural diagram of an evaporator assembly in a refrigerator provided in an embodiment of this application. The evaporator coil 122 includes a first coil 1220 and a second coil 1222.

[0039] The first section of coil 1220 is taken from the overall evaporator circuit of refrigerator 100 and arranged in the metal pipe section at the back of refrigerator compartment 110. For example, copper or aluminum pipe can be selected as the material for the first section of coil 1220. The first section of coil 1220 is responsible for the cooling of refrigerator compartment 110. Furthermore, the first section of coil 1220 is at least partially embedded in cold storage unit 124. The embedding method can be referred to the above description and will not be repeated here.

[0040] The second coil 1222 connects to the first coil 1220. For example, in a case where the refrigerator compartment is located above and the freezer compartment below, following the direction of gravity, the second coil 1222 can be positioned below the first coil 1220. Furthermore, the second coil 1222 has multiple turns in the horizontal direction, extending horizontally and protruding beyond the first coil 1220. In other words, the first coil 1220 can have one turn, but within that turn, it can be arranged in a serpentine pattern to increase the heat transfer area; since the second coil 1222 is used to cool the freezer compartment, and the freezer compartment has a high cooling capacity, multiple turns of the second coil 1222, each turn forming a ring, can be used, thereby improving cooling efficiency.

[0041] Overall, the direct-coupled phase change cold storage evaporator module, also known as the evaporator assembly 120, in this embodiment is positioned and installed as a prefabricated independent component on the back of the inner liner of the refrigerator compartment 110 during the manufacturing process of the refrigerator 100. During the foaming stage, the evaporator assembly 120, along with other parts of the refrigerator 100 such as the remaining coils leading to the freezer compartment, is wrapped and fixed with polyurethane foam material to form a complete insulated box or outer shell. This reduces the problems of large temperature fluctuations and frequent compressor starts in the refrigerator compartment 110. The phase change cold storage module is integrated with the first section of the evaporator coil 1220 dedicated to the refrigerator compartment 110 using a high thermal conductivity structure and embedded as an independent module in the outer shell 114, achieving efficient storage and precise on-demand release of cold energy.

[0042] Please combine Figures 1 to 3 And see Figure 4 As shown, Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating the refrigerator control method provided in this application embodiment. To more clearly illustrate the refrigerator's operation, this application embodiment also provides a refrigerator control method employing the above-described refrigerator structure, comprising: Step S210: In response to the compressor starting operation, the refrigerant flows through the evaporator coil, and in the process of lowering the temperature of the cold compartment, the cold energy is transferred to the phase change material of the cold storage unit, causing it to solidify and store latent heat.

[0043] This stage can be defined as the cold storage stage, also known as the compressor operation period. During compressor startup, the refrigerant flows through the entire evaporator circuit, i.e., the evaporator coil, and the temperature at the first section of the coil corresponding to the refrigerator compartment rapidly drops to -5°C or below. The cold energy is efficiently transferred to the phase change material of the cold storage unit through a high thermal conductivity heat transfer plate, causing it to quickly condense and store a large amount of latent heat. This rapid absorption of cold energy helps the refrigerator compartment quickly reach the target temperature, prompting the compressor to stop, thus accelerating the cooling speed of the refrigerator compartment.

[0044] Step S220: After the compressor stops, the phase change material in the cold storage unit releases cold energy into the cold storage compartment when the temperature exceeds the phase change point temperature.

[0045] This stage can be defined as the cold release stage, also known as the compressor shutdown period. After the compressor stops, the refrigerator compartment temperature begins to rise. When the evaporator coil temperature is higher than the phase change temperature of the phase change material, such as 0°C, the phase change material begins to melt and steadily releases cold energy into the refrigerator compartment through the heat transfer plate and evaporator coil. This release process effectively slows down the rate of temperature rise in the refrigerator compartment, thereby significantly extending the compressor shutdown time.

[0046] The temperature stabilization mechanism is as follows: due to the temperature plateau effect of the phase change material during the phase change process, the temperature fluctuation of the evaporator coil coupled with it is greatly suppressed during shutdown, thereby providing the cold storage room with a constant cold source that far exceeds that of the direct cooling system, and improving the uniformity of the internal temperature of the cold storage room.

[0047] The refrigerator and its control method provided in this application have the advantage of targeted optimization of the refrigerator compartment performance. Designed primarily for the preservation needs of the refrigerator compartment, it precisely addresses the core pain points of temperature fluctuations and frequent compressor starts through a highly efficient direct-coupled structure. Furthermore, it offers significant energy savings, greatly extending compressor downtime and reducing ineffective or excessive cooling of the refrigerator compartment, effectively lowering overall power consumption. In addition, it boasts a compact structure and high integration, integrating cold storage functionality with core heat exchange components without occupying additional effective storage space, achieving deep functional integration. It also offers high thermal efficiency and fast response. Unlike schemes that indirectly attach phase change materials, the direct thermal coupling design in this application results in lower thermal resistance, allowing the phase change material to quickly respond to evaporator temperature changes, resulting in better dynamic performance. Therefore, the refrigerator designed in this application improves reliability and extends service life. Because of its solid modular structure with no moving parts, performance degradation is slow, and its service life matches that of the entire refrigerator unit.

[0048] To achieve the above steps, the refrigerator may further include a processor with one or more processing cores, a memory with one or more computer-readable storage media, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor. The processor and memory are electrically connected. Those skilled in the art will understand that the refrigerator structure shown in the figures does not constitute a limitation on the refrigerator, and may include more or fewer components than shown, or combine certain components, or have different component arrangements.

[0049] The processor is the control center of the refrigerator. It connects various parts of the refrigerator through various interfaces and lines. For example, the processor can be electrically connected to the evaporator assembly. By running or loading software programs and / or modules stored in the memory, and calling data stored in the memory, the processor can perform various functions of the refrigerator and process data, thereby monitoring the refrigerator as a whole.

[0050] In this embodiment, the processor in the refrigerator loads the instructions corresponding to the processes of one or more applications into the memory according to the following steps, and then the processor runs the applications stored in the memory to achieve various functions: In response to the compressor starting up, the refrigerant flows through the evaporator coil, and in the process of lowering the temperature of the cold compartment, the cold energy is transferred to the phase change material of the cold storage unit, causing it to solidify and store latent heat. After the compressor stops, the phase change material of the cold storage unit releases cold energy into the cold storage compartment when the temperature exceeds the phase change point temperature.

[0051] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the steps in the methods of the above embodiments can be performed by instructions, or by instructions controlling related hardware. These instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium and loaded and executed by a processor.

[0052] Therefore, embodiments of this application provide a computer-readable storage medium storing a plurality of computer programs that can be loaded by a processor to execute the steps in the refrigerator control method provided in embodiments of this application.

[0053] The storage medium may include various media capable of storing program code, such as read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0054] Since the computer program stored in the storage medium can execute the steps in the refrigerator control method provided in the embodiments of this application, the beneficial effects that any refrigerator control method provided in the embodiments of this application can achieve can be realized, as detailed in the previous embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0055] In the above embodiments, the descriptions of each embodiment have different focuses. For parts not described in detail in a certain embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions in other embodiments.

[0056] In the description of this application, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more features.

[0057] The refrigerator and its control method provided in the embodiments of this application have been described in detail above. Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this application. The description of the above embodiments is only for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core ideas of this application. At the same time, for those skilled in the art, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope based on the ideas of this application. Therefore, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

Claims

1. A refrigerator, characterized in that, include: The refrigerator compartment includes an inner liner and an outer shell; An evaporator assembly includes an evaporator coil and a cold storage unit, wherein at least a portion of the evaporator coil is embedded in the cold storage unit, and both the evaporator coil and the cold storage unit are disposed between the inner liner and the outer shell; The cold storage unit is used to store cold energy when the refrigerator's compressor is running, and to release cold energy when the refrigerator's compressor is stopped.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cold storage unit includes a housing with a receiving cavity for accommodating phase change material.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 2, characterized in that, The phase change temperature range of the phase change material is -2℃ to 2℃.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 2, characterized in that, The cold storage unit also includes a heat-conducting plate disposed on one side of the housing, and the heat-conducting plate is provided with a receiving groove for accommodating the evaporator coil.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 4, characterized in that, The evaporator coil is connected to the heat-conducting plate via a heat-conducting connection process.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 5, characterized in that, The thermally conductive connection process includes aluminum brazing, thermally conductive adhesive bonding, or mechanical pressing.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 4, characterized in that, The heat-conducting plate is made of metal.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The evaporator coil includes: The first section of the coil is at least partially embedded in the cold storage unit; The second section of the coil is connected to the first section of the coil.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 8, characterized in that, The second section of the coil extends horizontally and protrudes beyond the first section of the coil.

10. A control method for a refrigerator as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, include: In response to the compressor starting up, the refrigerant flows through the evaporator coil, and in the process of lowering the temperature of the cold compartment, the cold energy is transferred to the phase change material of the cold storage unit, causing it to solidify and store latent heat. After the compressor stops, the phase change material of the cold storage unit releases cold energy into the cold storage compartment when the temperature exceeds the phase change point temperature.

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