A vehicle-mounted refrigerator and a three-temperature-zone system and control method thereof
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- GREE ELECTRIC APPLIANCE INC OF ZHUHAI
- Filing Date
- 2026-04-21
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-12
Smart Images
Figure CN122185997A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of vehicle refrigerator technology, and in particular to a vehicle refrigerator and its three-temperature zone system and control method. Background Technology
[0002] With the continuous upgrading of automotive intelligence and comfort demands, in-vehicle refrigerators, as a core component for enhancing the driving experience, have been widely used in mid-to-high-end passenger cars, SUVs, and new energy vehicles. Users' functional requirements for in-vehicle refrigerators are becoming increasingly diversified, demanding not only conventional refrigeration functions but also integrated features such as ice making, long-term ice preservation, and variable-volume storage. Therefore, some existing in-vehicle refrigerators are beginning to explore designs with refrigeration systems featuring multiple temperature zones.
[0003] Currently, existing technology discloses a three-temperature-zone refrigerator refrigeration system that uses a non-azeotropic refrigerant mixture and is equipped with a one-in-three-out valve connected to a cryogenic evaporator, a freezing evaporator, and a refrigeration evaporator respectively. Temperature control of different zones is achieved through a step-by-step refrigeration process. This system can reduce refrigeration system losses, improve refrigeration efficiency, and to a certain extent realize multi-temperature-zone refrigeration functionality. In addition, existing technology also includes some improved solutions for specific functions of vehicle refrigerators. For example, a variable-volume dual-temperature-control vehicle refrigerator is disclosed. It features a removable baffle in the inner liner, with a magnet installed at the bottom of the baffle. A corresponding magnetic induction switch is installed at the bottom of the refrigerator to detect the baffle's status and display the temperature of different zones. Evaporation tubes are evenly distributed outside the inner liner. This solution uses baffle position detection to identify the dual-temperature-zone status and display different temperatures. Existing technology also discloses a vehicle refrigerator capable of rapid ice making. It has an independent ice-making chamber under the flip-top, with ice-making evaporation tubes connected to the evaporation tubes arranged close to the lower end of the chamber. An aluminum refrigeration tray is installed inside the chamber, thereby achieving rapid ice making. In addition, a vehicle-mounted refrigerator refrigeration device and system are disclosed, which includes a compressor, a condenser, an electronic expansion valve, an evaporator, a liquid receiver, and a first / second temperature sensor. The temperature sensor monitors the temperature and controls the opening of the electronic expansion valve to adjust the flow rate and pressure ratio, thereby achieving precise control of the refrigeration system.
[0004] However, the aforementioned existing technical solutions still have the following shortcomings, which prevent them from meeting users' needs for refined, intelligent, and flexible use of three-temperature zone car refrigerators: First, the ice preservation function lacks a dedicated evaporator. In existing solutions, after ice is made, it is usually placed in a regular refrigeration or insulation zone. The evaporator in this zone is shared with the refrigeration zone, making it impossible to independently control the temperature of the insulation zone. When the temperature in the refrigeration zone fluctuates (e.g., due to frequent user access to items), the temperature in the insulation zone changes accordingly, causing the ice to repeatedly melt and recrystallize, thus affecting the long-term preservation effect of the ice.
[0005] Secondly, the storage space cannot dynamically adapt to user needs. While existing solutions use removable baffles to change volume, baffle position detection is only used to display temperature and cannot automatically drive baffle movement. Users need to manually remove or reinstall the baffles, which is cumbersome and may compromise the cabinet's seal. When users switch from ice-making mode to pure refrigeration mode, the refrigeration space cannot be automatically expanded via simple system commands, resulting in a poor expansion experience.
[0006] Third, the switching between the three temperature zones is abrupt and lacks an adaptive mechanism. While the existing solution can adjust the flow rate, it does not automatically switch between different operating modes such as ice making, ice insulation, refrigeration, and capacity expansion, nor does it optimize refrigerant distribution. For example, after ice making is complete, the system cannot automatically shut down the ice-making evaporator and adjust the flow rate ratio between the insulation evaporator and the refrigeration evaporator; when the user no longer needs the ice insulation function, the system cannot automatically move the baffle and reallocate the refrigerant to achieve capacity expansion for refrigeration. Users must manually intervene in multiple steps, resulting in a fragmented experience and contradicting the original design intent of intelligent in-vehicle devices. Summary of the Invention
[0007] In this section, as well as in the abstract and title of this application, some simplifications or omissions may be made to avoid obscuring the purpose of this section, the abstract, and the title of this application, and such simplifications or omissions shall not be used to limit the scope of the invention.
[0008] To address the issues of existing vehicle refrigerators using single or dual evaporator structures, where ice preservation relies on the refrigeration evaporator, resulting in the inability to independently control the temperature of the insulation and refrigeration zones and causing problems such as temperature fluctuations and inaccurate frost formation; and the fixed structure of the insulation and refrigeration zones, lacking spatial adjustment capabilities and making it difficult to flexibly change the storage space according to user needs, one objective of this invention is to provide a three-temperature zone system for vehicle refrigerators. To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: a three-temperature zone system for a vehicle-mounted refrigerator, comprising: The box body and the lining disposed within the box body, the lining defining an ice-making zone, a heat preservation zone and a refrigeration zone; An ice-making evaporator is installed in the ice-making area; An insulated evaporator for exchanging heat with the insulated zone; A refrigerated evaporator for exchanging heat with the refrigerated compartment; In the refrigeration circuit, the ice-making evaporator, the heat-insulating evaporator, and the refrigeration evaporator are connected to the refrigeration circuit through parallel branches; A movable baffle is movably disposed between the heat preservation zone and the cold storage zone to change the volume ratio between the heat preservation zone and the cold storage zone; A drive motor is connected to the movable baffle for driving the movable baffle to move; The controller is electrically connected to the drive motor and the throttling component in the refrigeration circuit, respectively, and is used to control the position of the moving baffle and the refrigerant distribution in the refrigeration circuit.
[0009] Beneficial effects: By setting up ice-making evaporators, insulation evaporators, and refrigeration evaporators, and connecting them to the refrigeration circuit through parallel branches, combined with the coordinated control of movable baffles, drive motors, and controllers, independent heat exchange can be achieved for the ice-making zone, insulation zone, and refrigeration zone, and the volume ratio of the insulation zone to the refrigeration zone can be dynamically adjusted. This solves the problems of inaccurate temperature control, poor ice insulation, and inflexible storage space adjustment in existing vehicle refrigerators where the insulation and refrigeration zones share an evaporator. Thus, the vehicle refrigerator combines ice-making, ice insulation, and refrigeration functions, improving space utilization flexibility and ease of use.
[0010] Optionally, the refrigeration circuit includes a compressor, a condenser, a main electronic expansion valve, and branch electronic expansion valves respectively disposed on each parallel branch.
[0011] The above solution enables precise adjustment of refrigerant flow in each evaporator, improving refrigeration efficiency and temperature control accuracy, and reducing losses in the refrigeration system.
[0012] Optionally, the movable baffle has a separating position and an expanding position, and is movable between at least the separating position and the expanding position, wherein the drive motor drives the movable baffle to move between the separating position and the expanding position.
[0013] With the above solution, the movable baffle can move flexibly between the separation position and the expansion position, realizing the dynamic adjustment of the volume of the insulated area and the refrigerated area, and meeting the user's needs for flexible use of space.
[0014] Optionally, the bottom of the movable baffle is provided with a roller, and the bottom of the liner is provided with a roller groove adapted to the roller.
[0015] The above design, with its rollers and roller grooves, ensures smooth and reliable movement of the movable baffle, reduces mechanical wear, and guarantees smooth operation and durability during long-term use.
[0016] Optionally, it also includes a baffle position detection component, electrically connected to the controller, for detecting the position of the moving baffle and outputting a position signal to the controller.
[0017] The above solution enables real-time detection of the baffle position and feedback to the controller, achieving intelligent recognition of spatial adjustments by the system and ensuring the accuracy and ease of operation when switching between the three temperature zones.
[0018] Optionally, it also includes an ice sensor disposed in the insulation zone and electrically connected to the controller, for detecting whether there are ice blocks and / or the height of ice block stacking in the insulation zone.
[0019] The above solution can detect the presence and stacking height of ice blocks in the insulation zone, enabling automatic mode switching, such as switching from ice making to insulation and refrigeration in tandem, avoiding manual operation, and improving user experience and automation level.
[0020] Optionally, it also includes a temperature sensor disposed in the insulation zone and / or the refrigeration zone, electrically connected to the controller, and the controller adjusts the refrigerant distribution of each parallel branch according to the detection value of the temperature sensor.
[0021] The above solution enables real-time monitoring of the temperature in the insulation zone and / or refrigeration zone, allowing the controller to dynamically adjust the refrigerant flow in each branch, achieving independent or coordinated temperature control, ensuring temperature stability in each zone, and improving food preservation.
[0022] To address the issue that existing vehicle refrigerators typically rely on manual operation when switching between ice-making, heat preservation, and refrigeration functions, lacking an automatic control mechanism based on ice block status and spatial changes, resulting in abrupt function switching, delayed response, and unreasonable refrigerant distribution in different modes, which can easily cause temperature fluctuations and affect the user experience, another objective of this invention is to provide a control method for a three-temperature zone system of a vehicle refrigerator. To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: a control method for a three-temperature zone system of a vehicle-mounted refrigerator, applied to the aforementioned three-temperature zone system of a vehicle-mounted refrigerator, the control method comprising: Collect the position signal of the moving baffle, the ice detection signal in the insulation zone, and / or the user input signal; The current working mode is determined based on the location signal, the ice detection signal, and / or the user input signal; The position of the moving baffle is controlled according to the current working mode, and the refrigerant distribution of each parallel branch in the refrigeration circuit is adjusted.
[0023] Beneficial effects: By collecting the position signal of the moving baffle, the ice detection signal in the insulation zone, and / or the user input signal, the current operating mode is determined. Based on this, the position of the moving baffle is controlled and the refrigerant distribution in each parallel branch of the refrigeration circuit is adjusted, enabling automated and coordinated control of the three-temperature zone system. This solves the problems of existing vehicle refrigerators that rely on manual intervention during the switching between ice making, insulation, and refrigeration functions, the abrupt switching process, and the large temperature fluctuations after mode transitions. Therefore, it improves the intelligence level of vehicle refrigerator operation, the smoothness of mode switching, and the user experience.
[0024] Optionally, the operating modes include at least an ice-making mode, a combined heat preservation and refrigeration mode, a refrigeration-only mode, and a capacity-expanding refrigeration mode.
[0025] The above solution supports ice-making mode, heat preservation-refrigeration combined mode, refrigeration only mode, and expanded refrigeration mode, achieving seamless switching between the three temperature zones, avoiding disjointed operation, and enhancing user experience.
[0026] Optionally, in the ice-making mode, refrigerant is distributed to the ice-making evaporator and the heat-insulating evaporator, and the distribution of refrigerant to the refrigeration evaporator is reduced or stopped.
[0027] Through the above scheme, in ice-making mode, refrigerant is preferentially allocated to the ice-making evaporator and the heat-insulating evaporator to achieve rapid ice making and stable temperature in the heat-insulating zone, ensuring that ice is generated quickly and maintained in the best heat-insulating state.
[0028] Optionally, when ice blocks are detected in the insulation zone and / or the height of the ice block stack reaches a preset threshold, the three-temperature zone system is controlled to switch from the ice-making mode to the insulation-refrigeration coordinated mode.
[0029] With the above solution, when the ice in the insulation zone reaches the set height, the system automatically switches from ice-making mode to insulation-refrigeration combined mode, achieving a seamless transition and improving operational automation and user experience.
[0030] Optionally, when it is detected that there is no ice in the insulation zone and an expansion signal is received, the movable baffle is controlled to move to expand the volume of the refrigeration zone, and the refrigerant distribution ratio between the insulation evaporator and the refrigeration evaporator is adjusted.
[0031] With the above solution, when there is no ice in the insulation zone and an expansion signal is received, the moving baffle automatically adjusts and expands the refrigeration zone, while adjusting the refrigerant distribution ratio to ensure temperature uniformity after expansion, thereby improving space utilization and food preservation.
[0032] The present invention also provides a vehicle refrigerator, including the three-temperature zone system of the vehicle refrigerator described above, wherein the controller in the three-temperature zone system is configured to execute the control method described above.
[0033] The beneficial effects are the same as those of a three-temperature zone system for a vehicle refrigerator and a control method for a three-temperature zone system for a vehicle refrigerator, and will not be repeated here. Attached Figure Description
[0034] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the three-temperature zone vehicle refrigerator in this invention.
[0035] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the three-temperature zone vehicle refrigerator in this invention from another perspective.
[0036] Figure 3 This is a diagram illustrating the installation structure of the movable baffle and the housing in this invention.
[0037] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the baffle position in the ice-making or heat preservation-refrigeration combined mode of the present invention.
[0038] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the baffle position in the refrigeration mode only in this invention.
[0039] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of ice blocks sliding down in this invention.
[0040] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the refrigeration system in this invention.
[0041] In the diagram: 1. Lining; 2. Water inlet pipe; 3. Ice maker evaporator; 4. Ice maker box; 5. Water drip tray; 6. Motor; 7. Moving baffle; 8. Electronic expansion valve; 9. Electronic expansion valve of insulated evaporator; 10. Electronic expansion valve of ice maker evaporator; 11. Expansion valve of refrigerator evaporator; 12. Insulated evaporator; 13. Refrigerated evaporator; 14. Roller; 15. Roller groove; 16. Ice cube sensor; 17. Ice cube. Detailed Implementation
[0042] To make the objectives, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0043] Many specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a full understanding of the invention. However, the invention may also be practiced in other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar extensions without departing from the spirit of the invention. Therefore, the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.
[0044] Secondly, the term "one embodiment" or "embodiment" as used herein refers to a specific feature, structure, or characteristic that may be included in at least one implementation of the present invention. The phrase "in one embodiment" appearing in different places in this specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a single or selective embodiment that is mutually exclusive with other embodiments.
[0045] Example 1, referring to Figures 1 to 3This is the first embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment provides a three-temperature zone system for a vehicle refrigerator, which can achieve the coordinated operation of ice making, ice block insulation and refrigeration. It includes: liner 1, water inlet pipe 2, ice maker evaporator 3, ice maker box 4, water receiving tray 5, motor 6, moving baffle 7, electronic expansion valve 8, insulation evaporator electronic expansion valve 9, ice maker evaporator electronic expansion valve 10, refrigerator evaporator electronic expansion valve 11, insulation evaporator 12, refrigeration evaporator 13, roller 14, roller groove 15 and ice block sensor 16. By setting the inner liner 1, the ice-making zone, the heat preservation zone, and the refrigeration zone are defined; by setting the ice-making evaporator 3, the heat preservation evaporator 12, and the refrigeration evaporator 13, heat exchange is carried out in the ice-making zone, the heat preservation zone, and the refrigeration zone respectively; by setting the movable baffle 7 and the motor 6, the volume ratio of the heat preservation zone and the refrigeration zone is changed; by setting the electronic expansion valve 8, the electronic expansion valve 9 of the heat preservation evaporator, the electronic expansion valve 10 of the ice-making evaporator, and the electronic expansion valve 11 of the refrigerator evaporator, the independent distribution of refrigerant in each branch is realized.
[0046] Specifically, the inner liner 1 defines the ice-making area, the heat preservation area, and the refrigeration area. The water inlet pipe 2 cooperates with the ice-making box 4 to supply water to the ice-making box 4. The ice-making evaporator 3 is set at the corresponding position of the ice-making box 4 to cool and freeze the water in the ice-making box 4. The water tray 5 is set below the ice-making box 4 to collect water droplets or melted water generated during the ice-making process. By setting up the water inlet pipe 2, the ice-making box 4, the ice-making evaporator 3, and the water tray 5, the ice-making process is facilitated and the ice-making area is kept clean.
[0047] Furthermore, the electronic expansion valve 8 is configured in conjunction with the electronic expansion valve 9 of the heat preservation evaporator, the electronic expansion valve 10 of the ice-making evaporator, and the electronic expansion valve 11 of the refrigerator evaporator. The electronic expansion valve 8 is used to regulate the total refrigerant quantity. Downstream of the electronic expansion valve 8, it is connected in parallel with the electronic expansion valves 9, 10, and 11 of the heat preservation evaporator. The electronic expansion valve 9 of the heat preservation evaporator is connected to the heat preservation evaporator 12, the electronic expansion valve 10 of the ice-making evaporator is connected to the ice-making evaporator 3, and the electronic expansion valve 11 of the refrigerator evaporator is connected to the refrigeration evaporator 13. This parallel structure facilitates the independent adjustment of the refrigerant quantity entering the ice-making evaporator 3, the heat preservation evaporator 12, and the refrigeration evaporator 13, thereby achieving independent control. Preferably, the target temperature of the heat preservation zone is 0±2℃, and the target temperature of the refrigeration zone is 2℃ to 8℃, in order to balance the heat preservation and refrigeration effects of the ice.
[0048] The movable baffle 7 is positioned between the insulation zone and the refrigeration zone. The motor 6 is connected to the movable baffle 7 via a drive mechanism. Rollers 14 are located at the bottom of the movable baffle 7, and roller grooves 15 that mate with the rollers 14 are located at the bottom of the liner 1. The rollers 14 and roller grooves 15 facilitate smooth movement of the movable baffle 7, reducing movement resistance and improving the stability of position switching. Preferably, the movable baffle 7 has at least a separating position, a refrigeration-only position, and an expansion position. By setting different positions, the volume ratio between the insulation zone and the refrigeration zone can be changed under different operating modes.
[0049] Preferably, the ice sensor 16 is located in the insulation zone to detect the presence of ice cubes 17 and their stacking height. When the moving baffle 7 moves in the expansion direction, if ice cubes 17 are still detected in the insulation zone, or if the moving baffle 7 interferes with ice cubes 17 during its movement, it is determined that the expansion conditions are not met, and the moving baffle 7 returns to its original position. This avoids erroneously executing either refrigeration-only or expansion-only refrigeration when ice cubes 17 are still present in the insulation zone. By setting the ice sensor 16, it is convenient to automatically switch modes according to the status of the ice cubes 17.
[0050] Working principle: When an ice-making command is received, the movable baffle 7 moves to the separation position, separating the insulation zone from the refrigeration zone. The electronic expansion valve 8 is set to its maximum opening or the target ice-making opening. The electronic expansion valves 9 and 10 of the insulation evaporator and the ice-making evaporator open, while the electronic expansion valve 11 of the refrigerator evaporator closes. At this time, approximately 60% of the refrigerant enters the ice-making evaporator 3, and approximately 40% of the refrigerant enters the insulation evaporator 12, balancing ice-making speed and temperature stability in the insulation zone. When the ice sensor 16 detects the presence of ice cubes 17 or when the stacking height of ice cubes 17 reaches the first threshold, the system automatically switches from ice-making mode to heat preservation-refrigeration co-operation mode. The ice-making evaporator electronic expansion valve 10 is closed, while the heat preservation evaporator electronic expansion valve 9 and the refrigerator evaporator electronic expansion valve 11 are opened. The opening degree of the electronic expansion valve 8 is adjusted to the target opening degree of the co-operation mode. The ratio of refrigerant entering the heat preservation evaporator 12 and the refrigerator evaporator 13 is adjusted to approximately 50%:50%, thereby achieving coordinated operation of ice cube heat preservation and refrigeration.
[0051] In summary, by using the inner liner 1, ice-making evaporator 3, heat-insulating evaporator 12, refrigerator evaporator 13, movable baffle 7, motor 6, electronic expansion valve 8, heat-insulating evaporator electronic expansion valve 9, ice-making evaporator electronic expansion valve 10, refrigerator evaporator electronic expansion valve 11, and ice sensor 16 in combination, independent heat exchange of the ice-making zone, heat-insulating zone, and refrigerator zone, as well as dynamic adjustment of the volume ratio of the heat-insulating zone and the refrigerator zone, can be achieved. This solves the problems of the lack of a dedicated evaporator for ice-making heat preservation, the difficulty in independently controlling the temperature of the heat-insulating zone and the refrigerator zone, and the inability of the space area to dynamically adapt to user needs.
[0052] Example 2 Reference Figures 3 to 6 This is the second embodiment of the present invention. Unlike embodiment 1, this embodiment focuses on the process of the movable baffle 7, roller 14, roller groove 15 and ice sensor 16 working together to realize the refrigeration mode only and the expanded refrigeration mode, which solves the problem that the existing solution requires manual adjustment of space and is easy to disrupt the continuity of use when expanding the capacity.
[0053] Specifically, the movable baffle 7 is positioned between the insulation zone and the refrigeration zone. The motor 6 drives the movable baffle 7 to move along the roller groove 15. The roller 14 rolls in conjunction with the roller groove 15. By setting the roller 14 and the roller groove 15, the movable baffle 7 can smoothly switch between different positions. Preferably, the movable baffle 7 is located in the separating position in the ice-making mode or the insulation-refrigeration combined mode, in the corresponding preset position in the refrigeration-only mode, and in the expansion position in the expanded refrigeration mode.
[0054] Furthermore, when the user does not require ice making, the electronic expansion valve 9 of the insulation evaporator and the electronic expansion valve 10 of the ice-making evaporator are closed, while the electronic expansion valve 11 of the refrigerator evaporator is open. The opening of the electronic expansion valve 8 is adjusted to the target opening for refrigeration, such as 40%, allowing all the refrigerant to enter the refrigeration evaporator 13 for efficient refrigeration. This setup facilitates the centralized distribution of cooling capacity to the refrigeration evaporator 13 when ice making and insulation are not required, thereby improving refrigeration efficiency.
[0055] When a user requests expansion, the ice sensor 16 first detects whether there is ice 17 in the insulation zone. If there is no ice 17 in the insulation zone, the motor 6 drives the moving baffle 7 to move to the expansion position, and the roller 14 rolls along the roller groove 15, increasing the volume of the refrigeration zone. At the same time, the electronic expansion valve 9 of the insulation evaporator and the electronic expansion valve 11 of the refrigerator evaporator are opened, the electronic expansion valve 10 of the ice maker evaporator is closed, the opening of the electronic expansion valve 8 is adjusted to the target opening of expansion, such as 70%, and the ratio of refrigerant entering the insulation evaporator 12 and the refrigeration evaporator 13 is adjusted to about 35%:65%, so that a relatively uniform temperature distribution is maintained after the refrigeration zone is expanded.
[0056] Preferably, if the user issues a refrigeration-only command or an expansion request, and the ice sensor 16 detects the presence of ice 17 in the insulation zone, or if the moving baffle 7 interferes with the ice 17 during movement, the expansion action will not be executed, and the moving baffle 7 will return to its original position to prevent the ice 17 from being squeezed or affecting the use of the insulation zone. This setting facilitates the determination of execution conditions for both the refrigeration-only mode and the expanded refrigeration mode.
[0057] Working principle: In refrigeration-only mode, the electronic expansion valve 8, the refrigerator evaporator electronic expansion valve 11, and the refrigeration evaporator 13 work together, while the insulation evaporator electronic expansion valve 9 and the ice-making evaporator electronic expansion valve 10 are closed. The moving baffle 7 moves to the corresponding preset position or remains in its current position, allowing the refrigerant to concentrate in the refrigeration evaporator 13. In expansion refrigeration mode, after the ice sensor 16 confirms that there is no ice 17, the motor 6 drives the moving baffle 7 to move to the expansion position. The electronic expansion valve 8, the insulation evaporator electronic expansion valve 9, and the refrigerator evaporator electronic expansion valve 11 work together to regulate the refrigerant distribution, so that the insulation evaporator 12 carries about 35% of the refrigerant and the refrigeration evaporator 13 carries about 65% of the refrigerant, thereby maintaining the target temperature range in the expanded refrigeration zone.
[0058] In summary, by using a combination of a movable baffle 7, a motor 6, rollers 14, roller grooves 15, an electronic expansion valve 8, an electronic expansion valve 9 for the heat preservation evaporator, an electronic expansion valve 10 for the ice maker evaporator, an electronic expansion valve 11 for the refrigerator evaporator, and an ice sensor 16, the refrigerator compartment volume can be automatically expanded when there is no ice 17, and accidental expansion can be prevented when there is ice 17. This solves the problems of existing solutions requiring manual disassembly and assembly of baffles, discontinuous expansion process, and difficulty in balancing ice insulation and changes in the refrigerator space.
[0059] Example 3 Reference Figures 4 to 7 This is the third embodiment of the present invention. Unlike embodiment 2, this embodiment focuses on explaining the triggering conditions, execution priority relationships, and refrigerant allocation process based on heat load for each working mode, which solves the problems of abrupt switching between the three temperature zones and unreasonable refrigerant allocation under different modes in the existing solution.
[0060] Specifically, the vehicle-mounted refrigerator has an ice-making mode, a combined insulation-refrigeration mode, a refrigeration-only mode, and a capacity-expanding refrigeration mode. The ice-making mode is triggered by a user's ice-making command; the combined insulation-refrigeration mode is triggered when the ice sensor 16 detects the presence of ice blocks 17, or when the stacking height of the ice blocks 17 reaches a first threshold; the refrigeration-only mode is triggered when the user does not require ice making; and the capacity-expanding refrigeration mode is triggered when the user issues a capacity-expanding request and the ice sensor 16 detects no ice blocks 17 in the insulation zone. The first threshold is the threshold at which the ice blocks 17 in the insulation zone reach a specified height.
[0061] Furthermore, the execution priority of each working mode is as follows: when an ice-making command is received, the ice-making mode is entered first; when the ice sensor 16 detects that the ice cubes 17 have reached the first threshold, the mode automatically switches from ice-making to a combined heat preservation and refrigeration mode; when the user issues a refrigeration-only command or an expansion request, if the ice sensor 16 detects that ice cubes 17 are still present, the combined heat preservation and refrigeration mode or the original working state is maintained first, and the expansion action is not performed; the movable baffle 7 is only allowed to move to the expansion position when the ice sensor 16 confirms that there are no ice cubes 17 in the heat preservation area. These settings help prevent the expansion refrigeration mode from being mistakenly entered before the ice cubes 17 have been removed.
[0062] Among them, Figure 7 In the parallel cooling mode shown, electronic expansion valve 8, together with electronic expansion valve 9 of the heat preservation evaporator, electronic expansion valve 10 of the ice maker evaporator, and electronic expansion valve 11 of the refrigerator evaporator, distributes refrigerant to the ice maker evaporator 3, heat preservation evaporator 12, and refrigerator evaporator 13. The theoretical distribution ratio of each branch can be determined by normalization based on the heat load and corresponding heat exchange efficiency of each temperature zone. The actual distribution ratio is corrected by multiplying the theoretical distribution ratio by a correction factor κ, where the value of κ ranges from 0.795 to 2.521. This setting facilitates both temperature stability and smooth switching under different operating modes.
[0063] Preferably, in ice-making mode, the electronic expansion valve 8 is set to its maximum or target ice-making opening, the ice-making evaporator electronic expansion valve 10 and the insulation evaporator electronic expansion valve 9 are open, and the refrigerator evaporator electronic expansion valve 11 is closed. The refrigerant ratio entering the ice-making evaporator 3 and the insulation evaporator 12 is approximately 60%:40%. In insulation-refrigeration co-operation mode, the ice-making evaporator electronic expansion valve 10 is closed, the insulation evaporator electronic expansion valve 9 and the refrigerator evaporator electronic expansion valve 11 are open, the opening of electronic expansion valve 8 is adjusted to the co-operation mode target opening, and the refrigerant entering the insulation evaporator 12 and the refrigerator evaporator 12... The refrigerant ratio in evaporator 13 is approximately 50%:50%. In refrigeration-only mode, the electronic expansion valve 9 of the insulated evaporator and the electronic expansion valve 10 of the ice maker evaporator are closed, the electronic expansion valve 11 of the refrigerator evaporator is open, and the opening of the electronic expansion valve 8 is adjusted to approximately 40%, with all the refrigerant entering the refrigeration evaporator 13. In expanded refrigeration mode, the electronic expansion valve 10 of the ice maker evaporator is closed, the electronic expansion valve 9 of the insulated evaporator and the electronic expansion valve 11 of the refrigerator evaporator are open, and the opening of the electronic expansion valve 8 is adjusted to approximately 70%, with the refrigerant ratio entering the insulated evaporator 12 and the refrigeration evaporator 13 being approximately 35%:65%.
[0064] Working principle: In different working modes, the electronic expansion valve 8 first adjusts the total amount of refrigerant, and then the electronic expansion valves 9 (for the heat preservation evaporator), 10 (for the ice maker evaporator), and 11 (for the refrigerator evaporator) control the amount of refrigerant entering the heat preservation evaporator 12, the ice maker evaporator 3, and the refrigerator evaporator 13, respectively; the moving baffle 7 changes the volume ratio between the heat preservation zone and the refrigerator zone under the drive of the motor 6; the ice block sensor 16 detects the presence and stacking height of the ice blocks 17; when the ice blocks 17 reach the first threshold, ice making is automatically stopped and the heat preservation-refrigeration coordinated mode is entered; when there are no ice blocks 17 in the heat preservation zone and there is an expansion request, the expansion refrigerator mode is automatically entered, thereby realizing continuous switching between ice making, heat preservation, refrigerator, and expansion.
[0065] In summary, by using electronic expansion valve 8, electronic expansion valve 9 for the heat preservation evaporator, electronic expansion valve 10 for the ice maker evaporator, electronic expansion valve 11 for the refrigerator evaporator, ice maker evaporator 3, heat preservation evaporator 12, refrigeration evaporator 13, moving baffle 7, motor 6, and ice block sensor 16 in conjunction, multiple modes can be automatically switched according to the state of ice block 17 and user needs. The refrigerant distribution ratio can be adaptively adjusted in different modes, solving the problems of abrupt switching between ice making, heat preservation, and refrigeration functions, frequent manual intervention, and large temperature fluctuations after switching in existing vehicle refrigerators.
[0066] It should be noted that the principle of the refrigeration system in this embodiment is based on... Figure 7 The refrigeration system includes a compressor, a condenser, an electronic expansion valve 8, an electronic expansion valve 9 for the insulated evaporator, an electronic expansion valve 10 for the ice-making evaporator, an electronic expansion valve 11 for the refrigerator evaporator, an ice-making evaporator 3, an insulated evaporator 12, and a refrigeration evaporator 13. The high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor first enters the condenser. After condensation, the refrigerant flows through the electronic expansion valve 8, which regulates the total amount of refrigerant entering each branch. The refrigerant regulated by the electronic expansion valve 8 then enters the parallel-connected electronic expansion valves 9 for the insulated evaporator, 10 for the ice-making evaporator, and 11 for the refrigerator evaporator. Under the adjustment of the opening of each branch's electronic expansion valve, the refrigerant flows to the insulated evaporator 12, the ice-making evaporator 3, and the refrigeration evaporator 13, where it evaporates and absorbs heat, thus providing heat exchange and refrigeration for the insulated zone, the ice-making zone, and the refrigeration zone respectively. The refrigerant after heat exchange returns to the compressor, forming a cycle. By cooperating with the electronic expansion valve 8, the electronic expansion valve 9 of the heat preservation evaporator, the electronic expansion valve 10 of the ice maker evaporator, and the electronic expansion valve 11 of the refrigerator evaporator, the refrigerant flow of each branch can be independently distributed according to different working modes.
[0067] Example 4 Reference Figure 7This is the fourth embodiment of the present invention. Unlike the previous embodiments, this embodiment further provides the design basis for refrigerant distribution of electronic expansion valve 8, electronic expansion valve 9 of heat preservation evaporator, electronic expansion valve 10 of ice maker evaporator, and electronic expansion valve 11 of refrigerator evaporator under different working modes. It also explains the parameter design of heat preservation evaporator 12 and refrigerator evaporator 13, which solves the problems of lack of quantitative basis for refrigerant distribution in each branch under different modes, difficulty in ensuring temperature uniformity after expansion, and unreasonable matching of evaporator parameters.
[0068] Specifically, in this embodiment, the vehicle-mounted refrigerator is equipped with three refrigeration zones: an ice-making zone, a heat preservation zone, and a refrigeration zone. It can switch between ice-making mode, heat preservation-refrigeration combined mode, refrigeration-only mode, and expanded refrigeration mode. For any temperature zone, the heat load Q... i It can be estimated using the following formula:
[0069] Where U is the overall heat transfer coefficient of the box, with units of W / (m²). 2 .k)), and can be determined by the following formula:
[0070] Where λ is the thermal conductivity of the insulation material, and δ is the thickness of the insulation layer; The effective heat transfer area in temperature zone i that is in contact with the external environment; The ambient temperature; Set the temperature for temperature zone i; The area of the partition plate between adjacent temperature zones; The temperature difference through the partition; The dynamic load includes the latent heat of phase change and sensible heat during the ice-making process.
[0071] Furthermore, in ice-making mode, the heat loads of the ice-making zone and the insulation zone are determined by the following formulas:
[0072]
[0073] in, For the heat load of the ice-making area, This represents the heat load of the insulation zone.
[0074] Under the combined insulation and refrigeration mode, the heat loads of the insulation zone and the refrigeration zone are determined by the following formulas:
[0075]
[0076] in, This represents the heat load of the cold storage area.
[0077] In refrigeration-only mode, the heat load of the refrigeration compartment is determined by the following formula:
[0078] In the expanded refrigeration mode, since the original insulated area space is incorporated into the refrigeration area after the movable baffle 7 is moved, the heat load of the insulated area and the refrigeration area can be estimated by the following formulas respectively:
[0079]
[0080] Therefore, the refrigerant flow rate entering the heat-insulating evaporator 12, the ice-making evaporator 3, and the refrigeration evaporator 13 can be redistributed according to the heat load changes under different modes.
[0081] The diameter of the evaporator branch pipe can be determined by the following formula:
[0082] in, Darcy's coefficient of friction For equivalent pipe length, This is the refrigerant mass flow rate. For refrigerant density, To allow the maximum pressure drop, The dynamic viscosity of the refrigerant. This represents the optimal flow velocity range.
[0083] After further simplification, we can obtain the empirical formula:
[0084] in, This is the pipe diameter coefficient, and its empirical value ranges from 0.008 to 0.015; The overall heat transfer coefficient; The logarithmic mean temperature difference can be approximated as T. air -T evap T air For air temperature, T evap Set the temperature for the evaporator; Specific heat capacity; is the thermal conductivity.
[0085] Preferably, the design of the insulated evaporator 12 and the refrigerated evaporator 13 also needs to consider the thermal resistance of the inner liner 1 wall, the thermal resistance of the contact layer, and the convection thermal resistance on the refrigerant side. The thermal resistance of the inner liner wall can be determined by the following formula:
[0086] in, For the wall thickness, The thermal conductivity of the material.
[0087] The thermal resistance of the contact layer can be determined by the following formula:
[0088] in, The thickness of the thermally conductive material.
[0089] The total thermal resistance can be determined by the following formula:
[0090] in, This represents the refrigerant-side convective thermal resistance.
[0091] The effective heat transfer coefficient can be determined by the following formula:
[0092] In a set of calculation examples in this embodiment, the thermal resistance of the inner liner wall is:
[0093] The thermal resistance of the contact layer is:
[0094] The refrigerant-side convective thermal resistance is estimated as follows:
[0095] The total thermal resistance is:
[0096] The effective heat transfer coefficient is:
[0097] Considering the imperfections in actual contact, empirical values can be used for the plastic inner liner area. For the ice-making area that comes into direct contact with metal, it is advisable to... .
[0098] Furthermore, the effective cooling area and tube length of the evaporator can be determined by the following formula:
[0099]
[0100] in, For effective cooling area, For the length of the evaporator tube, The coverage area is measured in units of pipe length.
[0101] Considering that the evaporator tube length and contact area of the ice-making zone are determined by the structural size, the tube length of the ice-making evaporator 3 will not be calculated separately in this embodiment. For the heat-insulating evaporator 12, a set of calculation examples are as follows:
[0102] Since the required effective area of the insulated evaporator 12 is relatively small, to ensure temperature uniformity, it is arranged according to the area of the insulation zone lining; when the area of the insulation zone lining is 0.08 m²... 2 At that time, its pipe length was:
[0103] For the refrigerated evaporator 13, a set of calculation examples are as follows:
[0104] Since the refrigerated evaporator 13 needs to be covered by the refrigerated compartment lining to ensure uniform heat exchange, the refrigerated compartment lining area is taken as 0.25 m². 2 At that time, its pipe length was:
[0105] Based on the above calculations, the structural parameters of the heat-insulating evaporator 12 and the refrigerated evaporator 13 can be matched and designed.
[0106] Based on the heat load and evaporator heat exchange efficiency, the theoretical refrigerant distribution ratio of the j-th branch can be determined by the following formula:
[0107] in, This represents the heat transfer efficiency coefficient of the corresponding evaporator.
[0108] Considering system stability and control accuracy, the actual refrigerant distribution ratio can be corrected using the following formula:
[0109] in, To control the optimization coefficients.
[0110] In ice-making mode, a set of calculation examples are as follows: Ice-making evaporator 3 bears the heat load Q. e =20.47W, the heat load Q is borne by the heat-insulating evaporator 12. k =2.307W; its heat transfer efficiency coefficients are respectively η e =1.2、η k =1.0. Therefore, the theoretical allocation ratio is:
[0111]
[0112] That is, the ratio of refrigerant entering the ice-making evaporator 3 and the heat-insulating evaporator 12 can be adjusted to 70% and 30%, respectively. It should be noted that this value is only a calculation example and is not the only limitation.
[0113] Furthermore, in the combined insulation-refrigeration mode, a set of calculation examples is as follows: the insulation evaporator 12 bears the heat load Q. k =1.845 W, the refrigerated evaporator 13 bears the heat load Q f =2.398W; its heat transfer efficiency coefficients are respectively η k =1.0、 =0.8. Therefore, the theoretical allocation ratio is:
[0114]
[0115] Taking into account the actual heat load, it can be further revised as follows:
[0116]
[0117] That is, the ratio of refrigerant entering the heat preservation evaporator 12 and the cold storage evaporator 13 can be adjusted to 40% and 60%, or adjusted within a similar range, to take into account both the heat preservation and cold storage needs of ice.
[0118] In the refrigeration-only mode, all refrigerant is allocated to the refrigeration evaporator 13, that is: =100% Correspondingly, the electronic expansion valve 9 of the heat preservation evaporator and the electronic expansion valve 10 of the ice maker evaporator are closed, and the electronic expansion valve 11 of the refrigerator evaporator is opened, so that the refrigeration evaporator 13 provides centralized cooling for the refrigeration compartment.
[0119] Preferably, in the expanded refrigeration mode, a set of calculation examples is as follows: the insulated evaporator 12 bears the heat load Q. k =1.476 W, the refrigerated evaporator 13 bears the heat load Q f =2.31W; its heat transfer efficiency coefficients are respectively η k =1.0、η f =0.8. Therefore, the theoretical allocation ratio can be written as:
[0120]
[0121] After further revision, the following is acceptable:
[0122]
[0123] That is, the ratio of refrigerant entering the heat-insulating evaporator 12 and the refrigeration evaporator 13 can be adjusted to 35% and 65% respectively to ensure the overall temperature uniformity of the expanded refrigeration zone. The control optimization coefficient κ in this embodiment ranges from 0.795 to 2.521. Working principle: Under different working modes, the heat load of the ice-making zone, heat preservation zone, and refrigeration zone is first calculated according to the heat load formula of the corresponding area. Then, combined with the heat exchange efficiency of the heat preservation evaporator 12, ice-making evaporator 3, and refrigeration evaporator 13, the theoretical refrigerant distribution ratio of each branch is calculated by the theoretical distribution ratio formula. Subsequently, it is corrected by the control optimization coefficient κ, and the total refrigerant quantity is controlled by the electronic expansion valve 8. The refrigerant quantity entering the heat preservation evaporator 12, ice-making evaporator 10, and refrigeration evaporator 13 is controlled by the electronic expansion valve 9 of the heat preservation evaporator, the electronic expansion valve 10 of the ice-making evaporator, and the electronic expansion valve 11 of the refrigerator evaporator, respectively. At the same time, the structural parameters of the heat preservation evaporator 12 and the refrigeration evaporator 13 are matched and designed according to the formula of effective heat transfer coefficient, effective cooling area, and evaporator tube length. Thus, the refrigerant distribution in ice-making mode, heat preservation-refrigeration synergy mode, refrigeration only mode, and expanded refrigeration mode all have clear design basis.
[0124] In summary, by incorporating the heat load calculation formula, effective heat transfer coefficient formula, pipe diameter calculation formula, pipe length calculation formula, and refrigerant distribution ratio formula into the collaborative design of electronic expansion valve 8, insulated evaporator electronic expansion valve 9, ice maker evaporator electronic expansion valve 10, refrigerator evaporator electronic expansion valve 11, ice maker evaporator 3, insulated evaporator 12, and refrigerated evaporator 13, clear quantitative basis can be provided for refrigerant distribution and evaporator parameter design under different working modes. This solves the problems of unreasonable refrigerant distribution, uneven temperature after expansion, and insufficient evaporator parameter matching in existing vehicle refrigerators during mode switching.
[0125] It should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and are not intended to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can be made to the technical solutions of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present invention, and all such modifications or substitutions should be covered within the scope of the claims of the present invention.
Claims
1. A three-temperature zone system for a vehicle-mounted refrigerator, characterized in that, include: The box body and the lining disposed within the box body, the lining defining an ice-making zone, a heat preservation zone and a refrigeration zone; An ice-making evaporator is installed in the ice-making area; An insulated evaporator for exchanging heat with the insulated zone; A refrigerated evaporator for exchanging heat with the refrigerated compartment; In the refrigeration circuit, the ice-making evaporator, the heat-insulating evaporator, and the refrigeration evaporator are connected to the refrigeration circuit through parallel branches; A movable baffle is movably disposed between the heat preservation zone and the cold storage zone to change the volume ratio between the heat preservation zone and the cold storage zone; A drive motor is connected to the movable baffle for driving the movable baffle to move; The controller is electrically connected to the drive motor and the throttling component in the refrigeration circuit, respectively, and is used to control the position of the moving baffle and the refrigerant distribution in the refrigeration circuit.
2. The three-temperature zone system for a vehicle-mounted refrigerator as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The refrigeration circuit includes a compressor, a condenser, a main electronic expansion valve, and branch electronic expansion valves respectively installed on each parallel branch.
3. The three-temperature zone system for a vehicle-mounted refrigerator as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The movable baffle has a separating position and an expanding position, and is capable of moving between at least the separating position and the expanding position, and the drive motor drives the movable baffle to move between the separating position and the expanding position.
4. The three-temperature zone system for a vehicle-mounted refrigerator as described in claim 3, characterized in that: The bottom of the movable baffle is provided with rollers, and the bottom of the liner is provided with roller grooves adapted to the rollers.
5. The three-temperature zone system for a vehicle-mounted refrigerator as described in claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a baffle position detection component, which is electrically connected to the controller and is used to detect the position of the moving baffle and output a position signal to the controller.
6. The three-temperature zone system for a vehicle-mounted refrigerator as described in claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes an ice sensor installed in the insulation zone, electrically connected to the controller, for detecting whether there are ice blocks and / or the height of ice block stacking in the insulation zone.
7. The three-temperature zone system for a vehicle-mounted refrigerator as described in claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a temperature sensor disposed in the insulation zone and / or the refrigeration zone, electrically connected to the controller, and the controller adjusts the refrigerant distribution of each parallel branch according to the detection value of the temperature sensor.
8. A control method for a three-temperature zone system of a vehicle-mounted refrigerator, characterized in that, The control method, applied to the three-temperature zone system of the vehicle refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 7, comprises: Collect the position signal of the moving baffle, the ice detection signal in the insulation zone, and / or the user input signal; The current working mode is determined based on the location signal, the ice detection signal, and / or the user input signal; The position of the moving baffle is controlled according to the current working mode, and the refrigerant distribution of each parallel branch in the refrigeration circuit is adjusted.
9. The control method for a three-temperature zone system of a vehicle-mounted refrigerator as described in claim 8, characterized in that: The operating modes include at least ice-making mode, heat preservation-refrigeration combined mode, refrigeration only mode, and expanded refrigeration mode.
10. The control method for a three-temperature zone system of a vehicle-mounted refrigerator as described in claim 9, characterized in that: In the ice-making mode, refrigerant is distributed to the ice-making evaporator and the heat-insulating evaporator, and the distribution of refrigerant to the refrigeration evaporator is reduced or stopped.
11. The control method for a three-temperature zone system of a vehicle-mounted refrigerator as described in claim 9, characterized in that: When ice blocks are detected in the insulation zone and / or the height of the ice block stack reaches a preset threshold, the three-temperature zone system is controlled to switch from the ice-making mode to the insulation-refrigeration coordinated mode.
12. The control method for a three-temperature zone system of a vehicle-mounted refrigerator as described in claim 9, characterized in that: When it is detected that there is no ice in the insulation zone and an expansion signal is received, the moving baffle is controlled to move to expand the volume of the refrigeration zone, and the refrigerant distribution ratio between the insulation evaporator and the refrigeration evaporator is adjusted.
13. A vehicle-mounted refrigerator, characterized in that: The system includes a three-temperature zone system for a vehicle refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the controller is configured to: acquire a position signal of a movable baffle, an ice block detection signal in the insulation zone, and / or a user input signal; determine a current operating mode based on the position signal, the ice block detection signal, and / or the user input signal; and control the position of the movable baffle according to the current operating mode, and adjust the refrigerant distribution of each parallel branch in the refrigeration circuit.