Refrigeration apparatus and method of controlling a refrigeration apparatus

Abstract

The application provides a refrigeration device and a refrigeration device control method. The refrigeration device comprises: an ice-making unit located in an ice-making circuit and configured to freeze ice-making water into ice blocks; a target evaporator located in a target refrigeration circuit and configured to provide cold energy for the target refrigeration circuit, wherein the set temperature of a refrigeration compartment corresponding to the target refrigeration circuit is lower than 0 DEG C; a water receiving container located below the target evaporator and configured to receive low-temperature defrosting water generated when the target evaporator defrosts; and a pre-cooling container in communication with a water inlet of the ice-making unit and configured to store ice-making water to be supplied to the ice-making unit; wherein the pre-cooling container is in direct or indirect contact with the defrosting water in the water receiving container, so as to transfer the cold energy of the defrosting water to the ice-making water stored in the pre-cooling container through heat conduction, thereby realizing pre-cooling of the ice-making water.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] For refrigeration equipment with automatic ice-making function, such as refrigerators, the ice-making process will consume additional cooling capacity of the refrigeration system, which will interfere with the normal cooling effect.

[0003] To address this type of problem, existing technologies typically involve increasing the refrigerant charge and expanding the volume of the receiver (used to store ice-making water), but this approach requires additional investment in high production and manufacturing costs. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a refrigeration equipment, a refrigeration equipment control method, a refrigeration equipment control device, a computer-readable storage medium, and a computer program product, which can efficiently utilize the defrosting water cooling capacity of the refrigeration equipment, reduce the impact of the ice-making process on the refrigeration system, and reduce additional costs and space occupation.

[0005] In a first aspect, a refrigeration device is provided, comprising: An ice-making unit, located in the ice-making circuit, is configured to freeze ice-making water into ice cubes; The target evaporator is located in the target refrigeration circuit and is configured to provide cooling capacity to the target refrigeration circuit, wherein the set temperature of the refrigeration chamber corresponding to the target refrigeration circuit is below 0°C. A water receiving container, located below the target evaporator, is configured to receive the low-temperature defrosting water generated during the defrosting process of the target evaporator. A precooling container, connected to the water inlet of the ice-making unit, is configured to store ice-making water to be supplied to the ice-making unit. The precooling container is in direct or indirect contact with the defrosting water in the receiving container, so as to transfer the coldness of the defrosting water to the ice-making water stored in the precooling container through heat conduction, thereby achieving precooling of the ice-making water.

[0006] In one embodiment, the precooling container has a first outer wall, the water receiving container has a second outer wall, and the defrosting water outlet pipe of the refrigeration equipment has a third outer wall; the first outer wall is attached to the second outer wall and / or the third outer wall, and a thermally conductive contact surface is formed between the first outer wall and the second outer wall and / or the third outer wall, so as to achieve indirect contact between the precooling container and the defrosting water through the thermally conductive contact surface; or, The precooling container has a fourth outer wall, which is immersed in the defrosting water in the water receiving container so as to be in direct contact with the defrosting water; or, The upper wall of the precooling container forms a water receiving container, wherein the upper wall is disc-shaped, so that defrosting water can be directly collected on the upper wall, thereby achieving direct contact between the precooling container and the defrosting water.

[0007] In one embodiment, the refrigeration device is a refrigerator, and the target evaporator includes an evaporator shared by a target refrigeration circuit and an ice-making circuit. The target refrigeration circuit includes at least one of a refrigeration circuit corresponding to the freezer compartment, a soft-freezing circuit corresponding to the soft-freezing compartment, or a variable-temperature circuit corresponding to the strain-resistant chamber.

[0008] In one embodiment, the ice-making circuit includes a separate ice-making evaporator, wherein the target refrigeration circuit includes an ice-making circuit and the target evaporator includes an ice-making evaporator.

[0009] In one embodiment, the target evaporator is a soft-freezing ice-making evaporator shared by the soft-freezing circuit and the ice-making circuit; wherein, the set temperature of the soft-freezing chamber is less than 0°C and greater than the freezing temperature, the soft-freezing chamber also includes a soft-freezing fan and a soft-freezing air duct, the soft-freezing air duct includes an air outlet and a return air outlet, the soft-freezing fan is configured to drive the low-temperature airflow cooled by the soft-freezing ice-making evaporator into the soft-freezing chamber from the air outlet, absorb the heat of the soft-freezing chamber and return to the soft-freezing ice-making evaporator through the return air outlet for further cooling, wherein the return air outlet faces the pre-cooling container, and the distance between the return air outlet and the pre-cooling container is less than a distance threshold, so that the low-temperature airflow at the return air outlet flows over the surface of the pre-cooling container to assist in the pre-cooling of the ice-making water.

[0010] In one embodiment, the refrigeration equipment further includes a first liquid level sensor, an electronic valve, and a controller. The first liquid level sensor is configured to detect a first liquid level signal of a first defrost water level in a water receiving container. The electronic valve is disposed on a defrost water outlet pipe, which is in fluid communication with the water receiving container, to guide defrost water out of the water receiving container when the electronic valve is opened. The controller is connected to both the first liquid level sensor and the electronic valve, and is configured to: Obtain the first liquid level signal; If the first defrost water level is determined to be no lower than the first overflow level based on the first liquid level signal, the electronic valve is opened to allow the defrost water to be discharged.

[0011] In one embodiment, the refrigeration equipment further includes an evaporating dish and a second liquid level sensor, wherein the outlet of the defrost water outlet pipe faces the evaporating dish of the refrigeration equipment, the evaporating dish is disposed on top of the compressor compartment of the refrigeration equipment, and is configured to: carry defrost water discharged from the defrost water outlet pipe and utilize the heat of the compressor to accelerate the evaporation of the defrost water; the second liquid level sensor is configured to detect a second liquid level signal of the second defrost water level in the evaporating dish, and the controller is also connected to the second liquid level sensor and is configured to: Acquire the second liquid level signal; If the second defrost water level is determined to be no lower than the second overflow level based on the second liquid level signal, the electronic valve is closed to keep the defrost water in the receiving container.

[0012] In one embodiment, the refrigeration equipment further includes a first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor, wherein the first temperature sensor is configured to detect a first temperature of the ice-making water in the pre-cooling container; the second temperature sensor is configured to detect a second temperature of the first defrosting water in the water receiving container; and the controller is further connected to the first and second temperature sensors and configured to: Obtain the first temperature and the second temperature; If the temperature difference between the first temperature and the second temperature is not lower than the temperature threshold, the electronic valve is controlled to close. When the temperature difference is below the temperature threshold, the electronic control valve opens.

[0013] In one implementation, the controller closes the electronic valve when the temperature difference between the first temperature and the second temperature is not lower than a temperature threshold, and is configured to: If the temperature difference between the first temperature and the second temperature is not lower than the temperature threshold, and if it is determined that the first defrost water level is lower than the first overflow water level, the electronic valve is closed. When the temperature difference is below the temperature threshold, the controller opens the electronic valve, configured as follows: When the temperature difference is below the temperature threshold and the second defrost water level is determined to be below the second overflow water level, the electronic control valve opens.

[0014] Secondly, a method for controlling a refrigeration device is provided. The refrigeration device includes an ice-making unit, a target evaporator, a water receiving container, a pre-cooling container, a defrost water outlet pipe, an evaporating dish, and an electronic valve. The ice-making unit is located in an ice-making circuit and is configured to freeze ice-making water into ice cubes. The target evaporator is located in a target refrigeration circuit and is configured to provide cooling capacity to the target refrigeration circuit, wherein the set temperature of the refrigeration room corresponding to the target refrigeration circuit is below 0°C. The water receiving container is located below the target evaporator and is configured to receive the low-temperature defrost water generated during defrosting of the target evaporator. The defrost water outlet pipe is connected to the water receiving container. The system includes a fluid connection, an electronic valve located on the defrost water outlet pipe, configured to guide defrost water out of the receiving container when the electronic valve is opened; the outlet of the defrost water outlet pipe faces the evaporating dish, which is configured to hold the defrost water discharged from the outlet pipe; a precooling container is connected to the inlet of the ice-making unit and configured to store ice-making water to be supplied to the ice-making unit; wherein the precooling container is in direct or indirect contact with the defrost water in the receiving container to transfer the coldness of the defrost water to the ice-making water stored in the precooling container through heat conduction, thereby achieving precooling of the ice-making water; the method includes: Acquire control reference information for the electronic valve, wherein the control reference information includes at least one of the following: a first level signal of the first defrost water level in the water receiving container, a second level signal of the second defrost water level in the evaporating dish, a first temperature of the ice-making water in the pre-cooling container, and a second temperature of the first defrost water. The electronic valve is opened and closed according to the control reference information.

[0015] Thirdly, a refrigeration equipment control device is provided for executing the steps of the refrigeration equipment control method provided in the second aspect of the embodiments of this application.

[0016] Fourthly, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, which stores a computer program that, when run by a refrigeration equipment control device, causes the refrigeration equipment control device to perform the refrigeration equipment control method of the second aspect.

[0017] Fifthly, a computer program product is provided, comprising: a computer program that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform the cooling device control method of the second aspect.

[0018] The refrigeration equipment provided in the first aspect of this application pre-cools the ice-making water by directly or indirectly contacting the pre-cooling container storing ice-making water with the defrosting water of the target evaporator, thereby reducing the additional load on the refrigeration system during the ice-making process, effectively utilizing the cooling capacity of the defrosting water, reducing the impact on the refrigeration system, and reducing additional costs and space occupation.

[0019] The second aspect of this application provides a refrigeration equipment control method. On one hand, by directly or indirectly contacting the precooling container with defrosting water to utilize the cooling capacity of the defrosting water to precool the ice-making water, the method reduces the additional cooling capacity consumed during the ice-making process and achieves efficient recovery and utilization of the defrosting water's cooling capacity. On the other hand, by dynamically correlating the opening and closing control of the electronic valves of the refrigeration equipment with multi-source sensor signals (including a first liquid level signal, a second liquid level signal, a first temperature, and a second temperature), the method achieves precise coordinated control of liquid level and temperature during defrosting water management, reducing the risk of overflow from the receiving container and evaporating dish. This solves the problem of difficult compressor compartment assembly caused by simply increasing the volume of the evaporating dish or extending the length of the evaporating tube in the prior art. Therefore, compared with the prior art solutions that increase the refrigerant charge and increase the volume of the liquid receiver, the refrigeration equipment control method of this application not only reduces the physical expansion that occupies compact space, but also achieves intelligent adjustment of the defrosting water discharge timing by real-time monitoring of the liquid level status of the receiving container and evaporating dish, as well as the temperature difference between the defrosting water and the ice-making water, thereby improving the precooling efficiency of the defrosting water and reducing the risk of overflow.

[0020] It is understood that the beneficial effects of the third to fifth aspects mentioned above can be found in the relevant descriptions in the first and second aspects mentioned above, and will not be repeated here. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1a A schematic diagram illustrating the implementation principle of a refrigeration device in the prior art is shown; Figure 1b Another schematic diagram illustrating the implementation principle of a refrigeration device in the prior art is shown; Figure 1c This diagram illustrates yet another schematic of the implementation principle of a refrigeration device in the prior art; Figure 2 A schematic diagram illustrating the implementation principle of a refrigeration device according to an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 3 A schematic diagram illustrating the implementation principle of a refrigeration device according to another embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 4a This illustration shows a schematic diagram illustrating the principle of indirect contact between a water receiving container and defrosting water according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 4b This illustration shows a schematic diagram illustrating the principle of direct contact between a water receiving container and defrosting water according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 4c A schematic diagram of the principle of a refrigerator soft-freezing air duct provided in one embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 4d A schematic diagram illustrating the implementation principle of a refrigeration device according to yet another embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a refrigeration device according to another embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 6a A flowchart illustrating a refrigeration equipment control method according to an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 6b A flowchart illustrating a refrigeration equipment control method according to another embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the structure of a refrigeration equipment control device provided in one embodiment of this application is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description of the embodiments of this application, unless otherwise stated, " / " means "or," for example, A / B can mean A or B; "and / or" in this text is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, and B existing alone. Furthermore, in the description of the embodiments of this application, "multiple" refers to two or more than two.

[0023] Hereinafter, the terms "first," "second," and "third" 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, a feature defined as "first," "second," or "third" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature.

[0024] Specific details, such as particular system architectures and techniques, are set forth for illustrative purposes and not for limitation, to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments of this application. However, those skilled in the art will understand that this application can be implemented in other embodiments without these specific details. In other instances, detailed descriptions of well-known systems, apparatuses, circuits, and methods are omitted to avoid unnecessary detail that could obscure the description of this application.

[0025] As mentioned earlier, in order to solve the problem of the ice-making process interfering with the normal refrigeration effect, the refrigeration equipment with automatic ice-making function in related technologies usually adopts the method of increasing the refrigerant charge and increasing the volume of the liquid receiver. This solution greatly increases the production and manufacturing cost.

[0026] Taking refrigerators as an example, a refrigerator with an ice maker adds an ice-making circuit to the refrigeration system of a refrigerator without an ice maker. For example, ... Figure 1a As shown, a solenoid valve 102 is installed after the condenser 101. The solenoid valve 102 divides the refrigeration circuit 103 into two parts: a freezing circuit 104 and an ice-making circuit 105. The freezing circuit 104 passes through the freezing capillary tube 106 and the freezing evaporator 107 before returning to the compressor 108, enabling the refrigerator to cool the freezer compartment according to the user's settings. The ice-making circuit 105 passes through the ice-making capillary tube 109, the ice maker 1010, and the freezing evaporator 107 before returning to the compressor 108, enabling the refrigerator to make ice.

[0027] It's understandable that during the ice-making process, refrigerant is diverted to the evaporator within the ice maker, reducing the amount of cold air flowing to the evaporator. This forces the compressor to run longer to compensate for the shortfall, increasing overall energy consumption. Furthermore, since the ice-making and freezing processes share the same compressor, they compete for refrigerant flow, potentially leading to insufficient cooling in the freezer during ice making or wasted cooling capacity in the ice-making circuit when the freezer needs cooling. This causes temperature fluctuations and affects food preservation. Moreover, the ice-making circuit's priority for low temperatures further crowds out the cooling capacity of the evaporator, interfering with normal cooling and potentially causing unstable airflow within the refrigerator due to temperature fluctuations, increasing the risk of odor cross-contamination between different compartments. Therefore, this type of refrigerator consumes additional cooling capacity during the ice-making process, interfering with normal cooling performance.

[0028] Furthermore, the water entering the ice maker is generally at room temperature. Existing refrigeration equipment with ice-making capabilities, such as... Figure 1a The refrigerator shown typically relies on a separate water tank 1011 to store ice-making water. For example... Figure 1b As shown, in the prior art, the water storage tank 1011 for storing ice-making water is usually placed inside the refrigerator compartment 1012, such as behind the air duct cover, behind the fruit and vegetable drawer, or on the refrigerator shelf. This layout not only occupies the user's effective volume space, but also introduces additional structural components, increasing the complexity of the whole machine.

[0029] Furthermore, evaporators in refrigeration equipment, especially those requiring temperatures below 0°C (such as the freezer evaporator in a refrigerator), gradually frost over their surfaces during operation due to the condensation of water vapor in the air. This accumulated frost reduces the evaporator's heat exchange efficiency and affects its cooling performance. Therefore, refrigeration equipment is typically equipped with automatic defrosting programs to periodically remove the frost from the evaporator surface and restore its normal heat exchange capacity. Figure 1c As shown, the low-temperature defrosting water 1014 generated during the defrosting process of the evaporator 1013 is received by the defrosting water receiving tray 1015 below it and then guided to the evaporating dish 1017 for treatment through the defrosting water outflow pipe 1016. However, if there is too much defrosting water in the evaporating dish 1017, it may overflow and affect the normal use of the equipment.

[0030] To address the issue of water overflow from the evaporating dish, existing technologies typically employ solutions such as increasing the volume of the evaporating dish or extending the length of the evaporating tubes. However, the internal space of the compressor compartment is already quite compact, and these solutions further complicate the layout of piping and structural components, increasing the complexity of production and assembly.

[0031] To at least partially solve the aforementioned technical problems, embodiments of this application provide a refrigeration device, a refrigeration device control method, a refrigeration device control apparatus, a computer-readable storage medium, and a computer program product. By directly or indirectly contacting a pre-cooling container with the low-temperature defrosting water generated during defrosting of the target evaporator, the cooling capacity carried by the defrosting water can be used to pre-cool the ice-making water in the pre-cooling container. This achieves the recovery and utilization of the remaining cooling capacity of the defrosting water, reduces the additional cooling capacity consumption of the refrigeration system during the ice-making process, and results in better cooling performance without increasing the overall refrigerant in the system. Simultaneously, this solution has lower manufacturing costs. Furthermore, because the ice-making water can be pre-cooled in a timely manner, the volume of the pre-cooling container holding the ice-making water can be made smaller, thus alleviating the space layout pressure of the compressor compartment and optimizing the internal space utilization of the refrigeration device.

[0032] First, this application provides a refrigeration device. For example... Figure 2 As shown, the refrigeration equipment 200 provided in this embodiment includes: an ice-making unit 210, a target evaporator 220, a water receiving container 230, and a pre-cooling container 240. The ice-making unit 210 is located in the ice-making circuit and is configured to freeze ice-making water into ice cubes. The target evaporator 220 is located in the target refrigeration circuit and is configured to provide cooling capacity to the target refrigeration circuit, wherein the set temperature of the refrigeration chamber corresponding to the target refrigeration circuit is below 0°C. The water receiving container 230 is located below the target evaporator 220 and is configured to receive the low-temperature defrosting water generated during defrosting of the target evaporator 220. The pre-cooling container 240 is connected to the water inlet of the ice-making unit 210 and is configured to store ice-making water to be supplied to the ice-making unit 210. The precooling container 240 is in direct or indirect contact with the defrosting water in the water receiving container 230, so as to transfer the coldness of the defrosting water to the ice-making water stored in the precooling container 240 through heat conduction, thereby achieving precooling of the ice-making water.

[0033] In this embodiment, the refrigeration equipment can be a device capable of lowering temperature through a refrigeration cycle, specifically a refrigeration equipment with an ice-making function. This includes, but is not limited to, refrigerators, freezers, and ice makers with ice-making functions. In this embodiment, the refrigeration equipment internally includes refrigeration components such as a compressor, condenser, and evaporator, thereby enabling a refrigeration cycle to meet the user's refrigeration needs, such as refrigeration, freezing, and ice making.

[0034] For the sake of simplicity, the following explanation will use a refrigerator with an ice-making function as an example.

[0035] In this embodiment, the ice-making unit can be a component in a refrigeration device used to freeze water into ice cubes, such as an ice maker assembly. The ice-making circuit can be a refrigerant circulation path within the refrigeration device used to drive the ice-making unit to perform ice-making operations. This circuit absorbs heat from the ice-making water through the phase change process of the refrigerant, thereby achieving water freezing. For example, the ice-making circuit includes an ice maker, a compressor, a condenser, and a throttling device. The compressor compresses the gaseous refrigerant into a high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant. After the high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant dissipates heat through the condenser, it becomes a normal-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant. Then, it is throttled and depressurized by the throttling device, becoming a low-temperature, low-pressure gas-liquid mixture. This mixture enters the evaporator of the ice-making unit, absorbs heat and evaporates, carrying away the heat from the ice-making water and freezing it into ice cubes. After the refrigerant absorbs heat and vaporizes, it returns to the compressor, completing the ice-making cycle.

[0036] In this embodiment, the refrigeration circuit can be a closed-loop circuit in a refrigeration device used to achieve the refrigeration function, wherein the refrigerant circulates between the compressor, condenser, expansion valve, and evaporator, reducing the ambient temperature by absorbing and releasing heat. The refrigeration device may include one or more refrigeration circuits. This refrigeration circuit includes at least an ice-making circuit. In the example where the refrigeration device is a refrigerator, the refrigerator may include multiple refrigeration circuits that refrigerate each compartment separately, such as a refrigeration circuit, a freezing circuit, a soft-freezing circuit, a variable-temperature circuit, and an ice-making circuit.

[0037] In this embodiment, defrosting water refers to low-temperature water formed by the melting of frost accumulated on the surface of the target evaporator after the refrigeration equipment has been running for a period of time. This water typically has a low temperature and contains a certain amount of cold energy.

[0038] The water collection container can be a container for collecting liquids. In this embodiment, the water collection container is a container for receiving low-temperature defrost water generated during the defrosting process of the target evaporator. Exemplarily, the water collection container can be located below the target evaporator so that the defrost water can flow in naturally. The shape of the water collection container can be various suitable shapes, and this embodiment is not limited to them. For example, the water collection container can have an open disc-shaped or trough-shaped structure, positioned directly below the target evaporator, allowing the defrost water to flow in completely. Furthermore, the water collection container can also have a drain outlet, which is connected to the evaporating dish inside the compressor compartment via a pipe (such as the defrost water outlet pipe described later). After being collected in the water collection container, the defrost water can be discharged into the evaporating dish and evaporate naturally using the heat generated by the compressor operation.

[0039] In this embodiment, the pre-cooling container can be a container for storing ice-making water to be supplied to the ice-making unit. The pre-cooling container can be made of a material with good thermal conductivity, allowing the ice-making water stored inside to exchange heat with an external cold source, thereby lowering the temperature of the ice-making water before ice making. For example, the pre-cooling container is made of a metal thermally conductive material (aluminum alloy, stainless steel, etc.). Furthermore, a fluid connection is established between the pre-cooling container and the water inlet of the ice-making unit, allowing the stored water to be smoothly delivered to the ice-making unit. For example, the pre-cooling container can be a simple water tank connected to the ice-making unit via a pipe. When the ice-making unit needs water, water is delivered by gravity or a simple pumping mechanism. The pre-cooling container is connected to an external water source, which is typically at room temperature (approximately 20°C to 25°C). In this embodiment, after pre-cooling through direct or indirect contact with defrosting water, the temperature drops to 5°C to 10°C before being supplied to the ice-making unit. The shape of the pre-cooling container can be customized according to actual needs. For example, the precooling container is in contact with the water receiving container, and the shape of the precooling container can be adapted to the shape of the water receiving container to increase the contact area between the two and improve the heat transfer efficiency.

[0040] By way of example, and not limitation, the precooling container may be a precooling tank.

[0041] It should be noted that in some examples, the water receiving container and the pre-cooling container can be the same container, i.e., a container that simultaneously holds defrost water and stores ice-making water. In other examples, the water receiving container and the pre-cooling container can be different containers. The water receiving container and the pre-cooling container are in surface contact, and both can be made of materials with good thermal conductivity, enabling heat conduction through contact to transfer the coldness of the defrost water to the ice-making water in the pre-cooling container.

[0042] For example, the precooling container can be located inside the receiving container and completely immersed in the defrosting water. In this case, the precooling container is in direct contact with the defrosting water, resulting in higher heat exchange efficiency and faster reduction of the ice-making water temperature. Alternatively, the precooling container can be attached to the outer wall or bottom of the receiving container. In this case, the precooling container is indirectly in contact with the defrosting water through the side wall of the receiving container, achieving heat transfer while preventing scale or corrosion from long-term immersion in defrosting water, thus extending the structural lifespan. Another example is that the upper surface of the precooling container is disc-shaped or grooved, also functioning as a receiving container. The defrosting water produced by the target evaporator can flow directly into the groove on the upper surface of the precooling container, and its cooling capacity can be directly transferred to the container body and then to the ice-making water stored inside. This eliminates the need for a separate receiving container, simplifying the overall structure, reducing the number of parts, and minimizing internal space usage.

[0043] Thermal conduction is a mode of heat transfer that transfers heat energy through the interaction of molecules, atoms, or electrons within or between objects in direct contact, without requiring macroscopic movement of matter. In this embodiment, thermal conduction is the primary mechanism for transferring cooling energy from defrosting water to ice-making water.

[0044] The evaporator is a key component in the refrigeration circuit of a refrigeration system. Its main function is to absorb heat and cause the refrigerant to evaporate at low temperature and low pressure, thereby providing the required cooling capacity for the circuit. In this embodiment, the target evaporator is an evaporator in the refrigeration system that operates at a temperature below 0°C and requires periodic defrosting. For example, it could be a freezing evaporator in the freezing circuit corresponding to the freezer compartment, an ice-making evaporator in the ice-making circuit corresponding to the ice-making compartment, a variable-temperature evaporator in the variable-temperature circuit corresponding to the strain gauge compartment, or a soft-freezing evaporator in the soft-freezing circuit corresponding to the soft-freezing compartment.

[0045] Alternatively, the target evaporator can be a standalone evaporator dedicated to providing cooling for the ice-making circuit. For example, a coil evaporator can be directly wound around the ice-making unit. Alternatively, the target evaporator can also be a multi-functional evaporator. For example, a finned-tube evaporator that not only provides cooling for the ice-making circuit but may also provide cooling for other refrigeration circuits such as the refrigerator or freezer compartments.

[0046] It is understandable that, since the target evaporator operates at a temperature below 0°C, frost will form on its surface due to the sublimation of water vapor in the air, affecting heat exchange efficiency. Therefore, refrigeration equipment needs to perform periodic defrosting on the target evaporator. For example, the refrigeration equipment is equipped with a defrosting assembly, which defrosts the target evaporator when the defrosting conditions are met. For instance, the defrosting assembly includes a defrosting heater (such as an electric heating element or a hot gas bypass valve) and may also include a temperature sensor for monitoring the evaporator surface temperature. The defrosting process may include: when the compressor's cumulative running time reaches a preset value (e.g., 8-12 hours), or when the temperature sensor detects that the evaporator surface temperature is below a preset threshold and the refrigerator's refrigeration efficiency decreases, the controller activates the defrosting heater, raising the evaporator surface temperature above 0°C, melting the frost into liquid water, i.e., defrosting water. When the temperature sensor detects that the evaporator surface temperature reaches the defrosting termination temperature (e.g., +5°C to +10°C), the controller shuts off the defrosting heater, ending the defrosting process. The defrosting water generated during the defrosting process is at a temperature of approximately 0°C to 5°C. It is collected by a water receiving container located below the target evaporator and used as a cold source to cool the pre-cooled container in this embodiment of the application.

[0047] In this embodiment, the number of target evaporators can be greater than or equal to 1.

[0048] Optionally, the number of target evaporators can be one. For example, the target evaporator can be an evaporator in the ice-making circuit of a refrigeration device, such as an ice-making evaporator in a refrigerator's ice-making circuit or a freezing evaporator shared by the ice-making and freezing circuits in a refrigerator (i.e., the freezing ice-making evaporator mentioned below). Taking the target evaporator as a freezing evaporator as an example, the precooling container can be thermally coupled only to the defrost water obtained after defrosting the freezing evaporator, so as to use the defrost water to precool the ice-making water.

[0049] Alternatively, the number of target evaporators can be two or more. For example, when the refrigeration equipment is a refrigerator and includes separate freezing evaporators and ice-making evaporators, the target evaporators can include both freezing evaporators and ice-making evaporators. Each target evaporator has a corresponding water collection container below it to collect the defrost water generated during defrosting. The number of precooling containers can be less than or equal to the number of target evaporators. For example, multiple precooling containers can be respectively positioned below multiple target evaporators to be thermally coupled to multiple water collection containers. For example, if there are two precooling containers, respectively positioned below the freezing evaporator and the ice-making evaporator, they can be thermally coupled to the defrost water of both the freezing evaporator and the ice-making evaporator simultaneously, to comprehensively utilize the cooling capacity of the defrost water from both evaporators and further improve the precooling effect.

[0050] Furthermore, when multiple target evaporators exist, the defrosting sequence of each evaporator can be the same or different. The controller can dynamically select the water receiving container thermally coupled to the pre-cooling container based on the defrosting status of each evaporator to maximize the cold energy recovery efficiency during defrosting water generation.

[0051] In this embodiment, the precooling container and defrost water can be in direct or indirect contact to transfer the coldness of the defrost water to the ice-making water stored in the precooling container through heat conduction, thereby precooling the ice-making water. Optionally, the precooling container and defrost water can be in direct contact. For example, at least a portion of the outer wall of the precooling container can be directly immersed in the defrost water accumulated in the receiving container, or the defrost water can be attached to at least a portion of the outer wall of the precooling container. Alternatively, the precooling container can be in indirect contact with the defrost water. For example, the outer wall of the precooling container can be tightly fitted to the wall of the receiving container, while the defrost water flows or accumulates inside the receiving container. Regardless of the contact method used, the coldness carried by the defrost water can be used to reduce the temperature of the ice-making water stored in the precooling container through heat conduction, thereby achieving precooling of the ice-making water.

[0052] It is understandable that for target evaporators such as freezing evaporators, ice-making evaporators, variable-temperature evaporators, or soft-freeze evaporators, although the operating temperature of these evaporators is below 0°C, the water receiving container can maintain a mixed state of ice and water for a long time because the refrigeration equipment (such as refrigerators and ice makers) can automatically defrost periodically. This prevents the water from completely freezing into solid ice blocks, allowing for a stable transfer of cooling energy to the ice-making water in the pre-cooling container via heat conduction. Furthermore, the dynamically circulating room-temperature ice-making water in the pre-cooling container can also buffer the low temperature in the water receiving container, preventing the defrosting water in the receiving container from freezing completely in a short time even if there are defrosting problems with the refrigeration equipment, thus maintaining stable cooling energy transfer.

[0053] like Figure 3 As shown, a refrigerator with an automatic ice-making function includes an ice maker 1010, which is located in the ice-making circuit 105 and is responsible for freezing ice-making water into ice cubes. The refrigerator also has a freeze evaporator 107, i.e., a target evaporator, which can simultaneously provide cooling to both the freeze circuit 104 and the ice-making circuit 105. Below the target evaporator, a defrost water tray 1015 is provided to collect the low-temperature defrost water dripping from the evaporator surface during defrosting. To improve ice-making efficiency and reduce energy consumption, the refrigerator integrates a pre-cooling tank 1018. It can be understood that this pre-cooling tank 1018 is one implementation of the pre-cooling container in this application. The pre-cooling tank 1018 is in fluid communication with the water inlet of the ice maker 1010 and is used to store the ice-making water to be supplied to the ice maker 1010. The upper wall of the pre-cooling tank 1018 is directly attached to the bottom surface of the defrost water collection tray 1015. Both the pre-cooling tank 1018 and the defrost water collection tray 1015 can be made of high thermal conductivity materials, allowing the pre-cooling tank 1018 to indirectly contact the low-temperature defrost water accumulated in the defrost water collection tray 1015. Since the temperature of the defrost water is much lower than that of the room-temperature ice-making water, the cold energy contained in it can be transferred to the ice-making water in the pre-cooling tank 1018 through heat conduction. Through this heat conduction mechanism, the cold energy of the defrost water can be effectively transferred to the ice-making water in the pre-cooling tank 1018, significantly reducing the temperature of the ice-making water before it enters the ice maker 1010.

[0054] It is understandable that existing refrigeration equipment with ice-making functions (such as refrigerators) typically increase the amount of refrigerant and the volume of the liquid receiver to reduce the impact of ice making on normal refrigeration, which directly leads to an increase in manufacturing costs. Furthermore, existing refrigerators with automatic ice makers usually have separate water tanks, which may be placed behind the air duct cover of the refrigerator compartment, behind the crisper drawer, or on the refrigerator shelf, potentially occupying effective volume or increasing the number of components. However, the ice-making equipment of this application embodiment utilizes the low-temperature defrosting water generated during the defrosting of the target evaporator to pre-cool the ice-making water. Specifically, heat conduction occurs between the pre-cooling container and the defrosting water in the water receiving container, lowering the temperature of the ice-making water before it enters the ice-making unit. This solution eliminates the need for additional refrigerant or a larger liquid receiver, effectively reducing manufacturing costs. Furthermore, unlike the placement of water tanks in existing technologies (such as behind the duct cover of the refrigerator compartment), in the refrigeration equipment of this application embodiment, the precooling container can replace the function of the water tank in the prior art and can be set below the target evaporator (such as at the bottom of the freezer compartment evaporator). Since the ice-making water can be precooled in time, the volume requirement of the precooling tank is lower, and it does not need to occupy too much space, thus not additionally encroaching on the effective usable volume of the refrigeration room. This improves space utilization without changing the overall external dimensions of the refrigeration equipment. In addition, this solution preheats the defrosting water while precooling the ice-making water, which allows the defrosting water to evaporate in a shorter time. To reduce the risk of water overflow from the evaporating dish, existing technologies often increase the volume of the evaporating dish or the length of the evaporating tube, which increases the difficulty of pipe and structural component layout in the compressor compartment. However, this solution preheats the defrosting water while precooling the ice-making water, which can accelerate the evaporation of the defrosting water and reduce the risk of water overflow from the evaporating dish. This allows for further optimization of the volume of the evaporating dish (such as reducing the volume of the evaporating dish), thereby reducing procurement costs and assembly difficulty in the compressor compartment.

[0055] In summary, the refrigeration equipment of this application embodiment utilizes the cold energy carried by the low-temperature defrosting water generated during the defrosting process of the evaporator to pre-cool the ice-making water. This not only realizes the recycling of waste cold energy and reduces the overall energy consumption of the ice-making process, but also improves ice-making efficiency and shortens the time for a single ice-making cycle. At the same time, it solves the problem of water overflow in the evaporation dish that may be caused by slow evaporation of defrosting water, optimizes the internal space layout of the refrigeration equipment, and achieves cost reduction and efficiency improvement of the equipment while saving energy and protecting the environment.

[0056] In one embodiment, the precooling container has a first outer wall, the water receiving container has a second outer wall, and the defrosting water outlet pipe of the refrigeration equipment has a third outer wall; the first outer wall is attached to the second outer wall and / or the third outer wall, and a thermally conductive contact surface is formed between the first outer wall and the second outer wall and / or the third outer wall, so as to achieve indirect contact between the precooling container and the defrosting water through the thermally conductive contact surface.

[0057] In this embodiment, the first outer wall of the precooling container refers to the surface of the precooling container used for heat exchange with the outside. This outer wall is typically made of a material with good thermal conductivity, such as copper, aluminum alloy, or stainless steel, to allow heat to be efficiently transferred from the defrosting water to the ice-making water inside the precooling container. This first outer wall may be, for example, part of the bottom, side, or top of the precooling container. The second outer wall of the water receiving container can be the external surface of the water receiving container used to form a thermally conductive contact with the first outer wall of the precooling container. The material of this second outer wall should also have good thermal conductivity, such as metal or thermally conductive plastic, to facilitate heat transfer. The third outer wall of the defrosting water outlet pipe refers to the external surface of the defrosting water outlet pipe, which serves as an interface for heat exchange with the first outer wall of the precooling container as defrosting water flows through it. Exemplarily, this third outer wall may be made of materials such as metal or plastic.

[0058] In this embodiment, the first outer wall being attached to the second and / or third outer wall means that a tight physical contact is formed between the first outer wall of the pre-cooling container and the second outer wall of the water receiving container and / or the third outer wall of the defrost water outlet pipe. This attachment can be achieved in various ways, such as through mechanical pressing, welding, applying thermally conductive adhesive, or using a snap-fit ​​structure, aiming to minimize contact thermal resistance and improve heat transfer efficiency. The thermally conductive contact surface refers to the area of ​​tight contact between the first outer wall and the second and / or third outer wall.

[0059] When the first outer wall of the precooling container is attached to the second outer wall of the water receiving container and / or the third outer wall of the defrost water outlet pipe, a stable thermally conductive contact surface is formed between them. As defrost water accumulates in the water receiving container or flows through the defrost water outlet pipe, its cooling capacity is efficiently transferred to the ice-making water in the precooling container through these closely attached walls. This indirect contact method avoids the risk of direct mixing between defrost water and ice-making water, and by optimizing the contact interface, effectively reduces thermal resistance, ensuring full recovery of cooling capacity.

[0060] For example, the precooling container can be made of food-grade plastic, the evaporator water receiving container can be made of aluminized zinc material, which has high temperature resistance and corrosion resistance, and the defrost water outlet pipe can be made of ordinary plastic.

[0061] In one example, the bottom surface of the precooling container may correspond to the first outer wall, while the top of the water receiving container has a matching second outer wall. During installation, the precooling container can be placed above the water receiving container and secured with bolts or thermally conductive pads, ensuring a tight fit between the first and second outer walls to create a large thermally conductive contact surface. Exemplarily, the defrosting water outlet pipe can be a conduit coiled around the outer wall of the precooling container, with its third outer wall tightly attached to the first outer wall of the precooling container by welding or thermally conductive adhesive to increase the heat exchange area.

[0062] In another example, such as Figure 4a As shown, the shape of the upper surface of the pre-cooling tank 1018 can match the shape of the lower surface of the defrost water receiving tray 1015. That is, at least a portion of the bottom surface (second outer wall) of the defrost water receiving tray 1015 below the target evaporator 1013' can be in contact with the upper surface (first outer wall) of the pre-cooling tank 1018 storing ice-making water 1019. The pre-cooling tank 1018 can be funnel-shaped, and the tubular portion 10181 of the pre-cooling tank 1018 can directly serve as a defrost water outlet pipe, guiding the defrost water 1014 to the evaporating dish 1017. Furthermore, the inner wall of the tubular portion 10181 can also directly contact the defrost water 1014. Furthermore, in an example not shown, the defrost water collection tray 1015 can also be connected to a defrost water outlet pipe at its center, and the wall of the tubular portion 10181 of the pre-cooling tank 1018 can also serve as the first outer wall, closely adhering to the outer surface (third outer wall) of the defrost water outlet pipe. This close adhesion creates an effective thermally conductive contact surface between the first outer wall and the second and / or third outer walls. When the target evaporator 1013' defrosts, the low-temperature defrost water 1014 accumulates in the defrost water collection tray 1015, or, when flowing through the defrost water outlet pipe, the cold energy in the defrost water 1014 can be directly transferred to the ice-making water 1019 inside the pre-cooling tank 1018 through the thermally conductive contact surface, thereby achieving indirect contact between the pre-cooling tank 1018 and the defrost water 1014. This design makes full use of the space at the bottom of the equipment, eliminating the need for a complex internal coil structure, and achieving waste cold energy recovery solely through the close adhesion of the external walls.

[0063] Furthermore, according to the heat transfer formula Q=k*A*Δt, where Q represents the amount of heat transferred, k represents the heat transfer coefficient, A represents the heat transfer area, and Δt represents the temperature difference, for... Figure 4a The design where the pre-cooling box 1018 is directly attached to the defrost water collection pan 1015 results in a smaller footprint for the pre-cooling box 1018. As the defrost water drains away, its cooling capacity is continuously transferred to the pre-cooling box 1018. This leads to a larger heat exchange area A and a larger heat exchange temperature difference Δt, resulting in a greater heat exchange capacity Q and thus higher waste cooling capacity recovery efficiency. Therefore, this design maximizes the pre-cooling effect without increasing the required space, further improving ice-making efficiency and reducing energy consumption.

[0064] In one embodiment, the precooling container has a fourth outer wall that is immersed in defrosting water in the water receiving container so as to be in direct contact with the defrosting water.

[0065] In this embodiment, the fourth outer wall of the precooling container can be the external surface of the precooling container that is in direct contact with the defrosting water. Exemplarily, the fourth outer wall can be the upper surface, bottom, or part of the side wall of the precooling container. Immersion of the fourth outer wall in the defrosting water within the receiving container means that the fourth outer wall of the precooling container is partially or completely surrounded by the defrosting water accumulated in the receiving container. This immersion method enables direct heat exchange between the precooling container and the defrosting water, thereby improving the efficiency of heat transfer.

[0066] It is understandable that when the fourth outer wall of the precooling container is directly immersed in the defrosting water in the receiving container, the surface of the precooling container is in direct contact with the low-temperature defrosting water, thereby maximizing the heat exchange area and minimizing the heat conduction path. This direct contact method can maximize the utilization of the coldness of the defrosting water and further improve the precooling effect of the ice-making water.

[0067] In one specific example, the bottom or part of the sidewall of the precooling container may extend downward to form a fourth outer wall that extends into the interior space of the water receiving container. When the target evaporator defrosts, the generated low-temperature defrosting water flows into and accumulates in the water receiving container, at which point the fourth outer wall of the precooling container is submerged in the defrosting water. For example, the precooling container may be a U-shaped tube or coil, with its curved or coiled portion placed directly at the bottom of the water receiving container and completely covered by the defrosting water.

[0068] Through the above technical solution, the refrigeration equipment can recover the cooling capacity of defrost water in a highly efficient and reliable manner. By employing a specific attachment structure between the pre-cooling container and the water receiving container and / or the defrost water outlet pipe, or by directly immersing the pre-cooling container in the defrost water, the sufficiency and stability of heat transfer between the defrost water and the ice-making water are improved. This not only significantly increases the utilization rate of the defrost water's cooling capacity, allowing the ice-making water to achieve a lower initial temperature before entering the ice-making unit, thereby effectively reducing the energy consumption of the ice-making unit and shortening the ice-making cycle, but also solves problems that may exist in traditional solutions, such as large cooling capacity loss, low heat exchange efficiency, or easy structural leakage, thus improving the overall operating efficiency and reliability of the refrigeration equipment.

[0069] In one embodiment, the upper wall of the precooling container forms a water receiving container, wherein the upper wall is disc-shaped, so that defrosting water directly accumulates on the upper wall, thereby achieving direct contact between the precooling container and the defrosting water.

[0070] In this embodiment, the upper wall surface of the precooling container can be designed as an open or semi-open structure capable of containing liquid, thus also functioning as a water receiving container. In other words, the top structure of the precooling container is integrated with the bottom or main structure of the water receiving container, forming a shared physical interface. For example, the top of the precooling container can be integrally molded, extending upwards to form a disc-shaped groove structure with the periphery higher than the center. This disc-shaped groove structure has the function of receiving defrost water, thus constituting a water receiving container. This structural design simplifies the number of components and allows for close and large-area direct contact between the precooling container and the defrost water, providing a foundation for subsequent cold energy transfer.

[0071] For example, the upper wall of the precooling container can be designed as a shallow dish, deep enough to collect a certain amount of defrost water while maintaining a small volume for rapid filling and drainage. Alternatively, the upper wall of the precooling container can be designed as a sloping dish with a certain angle, allowing the defrost water to flow naturally towards the center or a specific area to optimize contact with the ice-making water inside the precooling container. The dish-like structure effectively collects and retains defrost water, prevents it from overflowing, and ensures that the defrost water forms a stable liquid layer on the upper surface of the precooling container, thereby maximizing the heat exchange area.

[0072] For example, when the target evaporator defrosts, the generated low-temperature defrost water drips or flows directly onto the disc-shaped upper wall of the pre-cooling container, forming a water layer thereon. This direct accumulation ensures that there is no air or other medium obstructing the defrost water between it and the wall of the pre-cooling container, thereby achieving efficient heat transfer. For instance, a flow guide structure can be directly installed below the target evaporator to precisely guide the defrost water to the disc-shaped upper wall of the pre-cooling container. Alternatively, the disc-shaped upper wall of the pre-cooling container can be designed to be wide enough to cover the area where the defrost water from the target evaporator drips, ensuring that the defrost water falls and accumulates naturally.

[0073] It is understandable that by forming a water-receiving container in the shape of a disc on the upper wall of the pre-cooling container, defrosting water can be directly and stably accumulated on this disc-shaped upper wall, thus creating a tight liquid-solid interface between the wall of the pre-cooling container and the low-temperature defrosting water. This direct contact is key to efficient cold energy transfer, eliminating the contact thermal resistance that may exist in indirect contact and maximizing the utilization of the cold energy of the defrosting water.

[0074] In the above scheme, the upper wall of the precooling container has a disc-shaped structure, which can also serve as a water collection container. When the target evaporator defrosts, the generated low-temperature defrosting water drips directly onto and accumulates on this disc-shaped upper wall. Since the precooling container stores the ice-making water to be precooled, and its upper wall is in direct contact with the low-temperature defrosting water, the coldness carried by the defrosting water can be transferred to the ice-making water in the precooling container through this shared disc-shaped wall in a highly efficient heat conduction manner. This integrated structural design allows the defrosting water to form a cold source layer directly on the top of the precooling container without needing to pass through additional pipes or container walls, thereby increasing the heat exchange area between the defrosting water and the ice-making water and shortening the heat conduction path. This allows for more efficient use of the coldness of the defrosting water, effectively reducing the initial temperature of the ice-making water and providing colder starting conditions for the subsequent ice-making process.

[0075] like Figure 4b As shown, the upper surface of the pre-cooling tank 1018' has edges slightly higher than the center, forming a groove to receive defrost water 1014. In this embodiment, the defrost water 1014 slides down the fins of the target evaporator 1013' onto the upper surface of the pre-cooling tank 1018'. Because the upper surface of the pre-cooling tank 1018' has a shape that is higher around the edges and lower in the center, the defrost water 1014 can be guided to the defrost water outlet pipe 1016 in the center, and then discharged along the defrost water outlet pipe 1016. In addition, this structural design cleverly utilizes gravity and natural flow, so that the defrost water 1014 can be evenly spread across the upper surface of the pre-cooling tank 1018', increasing the contact area between the defrost water 1014 and the pre-cooling tank 1018'. Exemplarily, the pre-cooling tank 1018' can be made of stainless steel or high thermal conductivity plastic, and its disc-shaped upper wall not only serves to receive defrost water, but also acts as a heat exchange medium. When the low-temperature defrosting water 1014 accumulates in the groove, its coldness is rapidly transferred through the wall to the ice-making water 1019 flowing inside the pre-cooling tank 1018', completing an efficient heat exchange. Subsequently, the defrosting water 1014, having completed the heat exchange, is guided to the evaporating dish 1017 through the defrosting water outlet pipe 1016, and the entire process realizes the cascade utilization of coldness.

[0076] In the above scheme, because the center of the upper wall of the pre-cooling container is lower than the perimeter, a disc-shaped water receiving container is formed, allowing defrosting water to accumulate directly and stably on the top surface of the pre-cooling container. This structure eliminates the contact thermal resistance and unstable contact area problems that may exist in traditional indirect contact or simple immersion direct contact. The defrosting water and the ice-making water in the pre-cooling container are separated only by a thin container wall, which helps to maximize the heat exchange area and minimize the heat conduction path, thereby significantly improving the utilization efficiency of the defrosting water's cooling capacity and the pre-cooling effect of the ice-making water. Furthermore, combining the pre-cooling container and the water receiving container into one, using the upper wall of the pre-cooling container to directly receive the defrosting water, simplifies the overall structure of the refrigeration equipment and reduces the number of parts. On the other hand, during the defrosting process, the defrosting water accumulates directly on the upper wall of the pre-cooling container, continuously and efficiently transferring cooling capacity to the ice-making water in the pre-cooling container, thus providing a lower inlet water temperature for the ice-making unit, helping to shorten the ice-making cycle or reduce ice-making energy consumption.

[0077] In one embodiment, the refrigeration device is a refrigerator, and the target evaporator includes an evaporator shared by a target refrigeration circuit and an ice-making circuit. The target refrigeration circuit includes at least one of a refrigeration circuit corresponding to the freezer compartment, a soft-freezing circuit corresponding to the soft-freezing compartment, or a variable-temperature circuit for the strain-resistant chamber.

[0078] In one example, the target refrigeration circuit includes a freezing circuit; that is, the refrigerator may include a freezing circuit and an ice-making circuit. Figure 3 The freezing circuit is the refrigerant circulation loop in a refrigerator that enables the freezing function, lowering the temperature of food in the freezer compartment to below zero and maintaining it in a frozen state. The ice-making circuit corresponds to the refrigerant circulation system in the refrigerator used for ice making. For example... Figure 3 As shown, the freezing circuit and the ice-making circuit can share a single freezing evaporator (which can be called a freezing-ice-making evaporator for easy distinction). This means that a single evaporator provides cooling capacity to both the freezer compartment and the ice-making unit. In other words, the shared freezing-ice-making evaporator not only provides the necessary cooling capacity to the freezer compartment to keep food frozen, but also provides cooling capacity to the ice-making unit, enabling it to freeze the ice water into ice cubes. Sharing an evaporator simplifies the refrigeration system structure, reduces the number of components, thereby lowering manufacturing costs and space requirements, and potentially improving system efficiency.

[0079] In the example described above, where the target refrigeration circuit includes a freezing circuit and the freezing circuit and ice-making circuit share a freezing-ice-making evaporator, the target evaporator may include the freezing-ice-making evaporator. That is, the precooling container can be in direct or indirect contact with the defrost water generated by the freezing-ice-making evaporator, utilizing the cold energy carried by the defrost water to precool the ice-making water. When the shared freezing-ice-making evaporator defrosts, the low-temperature defrost water it generates is collected by a receiving container located below it. Subsequently, the precooling container (which stores ice-making water to be supplied to the ice-making unit) comes into direct or indirect contact with the defrost water. Through this contact, the cold energy carried by the defrost water can be effectively transferred to the ice-making water in the precooling container via heat conduction, thereby achieving precooling of the ice-making water. This shared evaporator design allows a single evaporator to simultaneously meet the dual needs of freezing and ice-making, simplifying the complexity of the refrigeration system and improving cold energy utilization, because the cold energy in the defrost water is recovered for the precooling of the ice-making water, reducing the subsequent refrigeration load on the ice-making unit.

[0080] In another example, the refrigerator may also include a separate soft-freeze compartment and a separate soft-freeze evaporator for cooling the soft-freeze compartment. The set temperature of the soft-freeze compartment (such as the soft-freeze temperature) can be below 0°C and above the set temperature of the freezer compartment (such as the freezer temperature). Since the freezer temperature is typically below -15°C, the soft-freeze temperature can be above -15°C. The soft-freeze compartment is suitable for storing food that requires short-term preservation but does not require deep freezing. The target refrigeration circuit may include a soft-freeze circuit corresponding to the soft-freeze compartment, and the soft-freeze circuit and the ice-making circuit may share the soft-freeze evaporator (which can be referred to as the soft-freeze ice-making evaporator for easy distinction). The target evaporator includes the soft-freeze ice-making evaporator, and the pre-cooling container can also come into direct or indirect contact with the defrost water generated by the soft-freeze ice-making evaporator to recover the cold energy carried by the defrost water for pre-cooling the ice-making water.

[0081] In another example, the refrigerator may include a variable-temperature compartment and a separate variable-temperature evaporator for cooling the variable-temperature compartment. The variable-temperature compartment may include multiple cooling modes, such as a refrigeration mode (where the set temperature can be greater than 0°C, corresponding to the refrigeration temperature), a freezing mode (where the set temperature can be less than -15°C, corresponding to the freezing temperature), and a soft-freeze mode (where the set temperature can be higher than -15°C and lower than 0°C). The ice-making circuit and the variable-temperature circuit corresponding to the variable-temperature compartment can share the same variable-temperature evaporator (for ease of distinction, it can be called a variable-temperature ice-making evaporator). The target evaporator may include this variable-temperature ice-making evaporator. The pre-cooling container can be in direct or indirect contact with the defrosting water produced by the variable-temperature ice-making evaporator. The low-temperature defrosting water produced by the variable-temperature ice-making evaporator can also provide cooling to the pre-cooling container, pre-cooling the ice-making water.

[0082] In the above examples, whether it is the freezing circuit, the soft-freezing circuit, or the refrigeration circuit of the variable temperature compartment, as long as it shares an evaporator with the ice-making circuit, the cooling energy of the defrosting water generated by the defrosting of the evaporator can be recovered and reused. In this way, without adding too many additional refrigeration components, the energy consumption of ice making can be effectively reduced and the overall energy utilization efficiency of the refrigerator can be improved.

[0083] In one embodiment, the refrigeration device is a refrigerator, and the ice-making circuit includes a separate ice-making evaporator, wherein the target refrigeration circuit includes an ice-making circuit, and the target evaporator includes an ice-making evaporator.

[0084] For example, the ice-making circuit of a refrigeration unit may include a separate ice-making evaporator. For instance, a large ice maker may have its own ice-making evaporator. Alternatively, a refrigerator may include a small ice maker with an ice-making evaporator. In this case, the target evaporator may also include an ice-making evaporator. For larger ice-making evaporators, which generate more defrost water, a precooler container can be placed below the ice-making evaporator. For smaller ice-making evaporators in a refrigerator (such as a miniature ice-making evaporator in the refrigerator's ice maker), a drain pipe can be used to guide the defrost water from the ice maker evaporator into a drip tray below other target evaporators (such as a freezing evaporator). The precooling water in the precooling tank below the precooling drip tray utilizes the small amount of waste cooling from the ice maker without increasing structural complexity. In both examples, the precooling container can directly or indirectly contact the defrost water generated by the ice evaporator, recovering the cold energy carried by the defrost water to precool the ice-making water to be fed into the ice-making unit. Since the ice-making evaporator is the core refrigeration component in the ice-making circuit, the defrosting water produced by it has a lower temperature and higher quality recoverable cold energy. Utilizing this cold energy can further improve the pre-cooling effect, more effectively reduce the initial temperature of the ice-making water entering the ice-making unit, and optimize the energy consumption and cycle of the ice-making process.

[0085] It is understandable that, in the example above where the defrosting water from the ice maker's evaporator is introduced into the pre-cooling box below other target evaporators (such as the freezing evaporator) through a guide pipe, the cold energy generated by the defrosting of the two evaporators can be recovered simultaneously, further improving the efficiency of cold energy recovery and utilization, making the pre-cooling effect more stable, and reducing the overall energy consumption of the refrigerator's ice-making process.

[0086] In one embodiment, the target evaporator is a soft-freezing ice-making evaporator shared by the soft-freezing circuit and the ice-making circuit; wherein, the set temperature of the soft-freezing chamber is less than 0°C and greater than the freezing temperature, the soft-freezing chamber also includes a soft-freezing fan and a soft-freezing air duct, the soft-freezing air duct includes an air outlet and a return air outlet, the soft-freezing fan is configured to drive the low-temperature airflow cooled by the soft-freezing ice-making evaporator into the soft-freezing chamber from the air outlet, absorb the heat of the soft-freezing chamber and return to the soft-freezing ice-making evaporator through the return air outlet for further cooling, wherein the return air outlet faces the pre-cooling container, and the distance between the return air outlet and the pre-cooling container is less than a distance threshold, so that the low-temperature airflow at the return air outlet flows over the surface of the pre-cooling container to assist in the pre-cooling of the ice-making water.

[0087] In this embodiment, the freezing temperature can be the conventional set temperature of the refrigerator's freezer compartment, such as below -15°C. Taking a freezing temperature of -18°C as an example, the set temperature of the soft-freeze compartment can be greater than -18°C. For example, the set temperature of the soft-freeze compartment is between -7°C and -10°C. This allows the food to maintain a suitable firmness, making it easy to cut and use, while also extending the food's shelf life.

[0088] In this embodiment, the refrigerator's refrigeration circuit may include a separate soft-freeze compartment and a separate soft-freeze evaporator for cooling the soft-freeze compartment. The target refrigeration circuit may include a soft-freeze circuit corresponding to the soft-freeze compartment, and the soft-freeze circuit and the ice-making circuit may share the same soft-freeze evaporator (soft-freeze ice-making evaporator). The target evaporator includes a soft-freeze ice-making evaporator, and the pre-cooling container can also directly or indirectly contact the defrost water generated by the soft-freeze ice-making evaporator to recover the cold energy carried by the defrost water and pre-cool the ice-making water. The return air vent of the soft-freeze compartment is generally located at the lower back of the soft-freeze compartment, close to the refrigeration chamber where the evaporator is located. The pre-cooling container is also located in the refrigeration chamber below the soft-freeze ice-making evaporator, just in the airflow path of the return air vent. Therefore, by setting the return air vent towards the pre-cooling container and controlling the distance between the return air vent and the pre-cooling container within a preset distance threshold, the return airflow, which still maintains a low temperature after absorbing heat from the soft-freeze compartment, can directly flow over the outer surface of the pre-cooling container. The return airflow itself is at a temperature lower than the refrigeration room temperature, or even close to 0°C. When it flows through the pre-cooling container, it can further remove the heat from the pre-cooling container wall through convection heat exchange, and assist the defrosting water in pre-cooling the ice-making water in the pre-cooling container, thereby further improving the pre-cooling efficiency and enhancing the effect of cold energy recovery and utilization. There is no need to add an extra fan or air duct structure, which can reduce manufacturing costs.

[0089] like Figure 4cAs shown, the target evaporator is specifically the soft-freeze evaporator 1020 located at the back of the soft-freeze compartment in the refrigerator. It serves both the cooling needs of the soft-freeze compartment and the cold energy supply to the ice-making circuit. A defrost water tray 1015 is located below the soft-freeze evaporator 1020. The lower surface of the defrost water tray 1015 is in contact with the upper surface of the pre-cooling box 1018 below, enabling pre-cooling of the ice-making water in the pre-cooling box 1018. Furthermore, to achieve dual functions, the soft-freeze compartment is equipped with a complete air duct system, including an air outlet 1021 at the top, a return air inlet 1022 at the bottom, and a soft-freeze fan 1023 that drives the airflow circulation. The return air inlet 1022 is positioned facing the pre-cooling box 1018, and the distance between them is less than a distance threshold (e.g., 2 cm). When the soft-freeze fan 1023 operates, the low-temperature airflow absorbs heat in the soft-freeze compartment and carries the cold energy out through the return air inlet 1022. Because the distance between the return air vent 1022 and the pre-cooling box 1018 is short, this portion of the low-temperature airflow is not directly dissipated, but instead sweeps across the surface of the pre-cooling box 1018. This close-range airflow creates forced convection heat transfer, which can effectively remove the heat from the ice-making water inside the pre-cooling box 1018, thereby helping to improve the pre-cooling effect of the ice-making water without increasing additional energy consumption.

[0090] In addition, it should be noted that since the temperature of the soft-freezing compartment is below 0°C but above the freezing temperature, the temperature at its return air vent is usually around 0°C, which is not too cold. This prevents the ice-making water in the pre-cooling container from freezing prematurely and affecting the water output, while also providing a stable supply of additional cooling capacity. This further improves the overall efficiency of cooling capacity recovery, optimizes the pre-cooling effect, and better reduces ice-making energy consumption and shortens the ice-making cycle.

[0091] In the above solution, in addition to using the defrosting water cooling capacity to pre-cool the ice-making water, a low-temperature circulating airflow from the soft-freeze compartment is further introduced to assist in the pre-cooling of the ice-making water. This dual pre-cooling mechanism significantly improves the pre-cooling efficiency and speed of the ice-making water. The low-temperature airflow conducts convective heat exchange with the surface of the pre-cooling container, which can quickly remove the heat from the ice-making water, effectively compensating for the potential inefficiency of relying solely on the heat conduction of the defrosting water. This not only shortens the time required for the ice-making unit to freeze water into ice cubes, improving ice-making efficiency, but also fully utilizes the cooling capacity of the soft-freeze circuit, reducing the overall energy consumption of the ice-making process. Therefore, the refrigerator can provide users with a faster and more energy-efficient ice-making experience, while optimizing the utilization of cooling capacity inside the refrigerator. Furthermore, since the return airflow in the soft-freeze compartment is close to 0°C, it prevents the ice-making water from freezing prematurely in the pre-cooling container due to overcooling, ensuring the pre-cooling effect and reducing the risk of premature ice formation clogging the pipes during the pre-cooling process, thus improving the stability of the ice-making process.

[0092] In one implementation, such as Figure 4dAs shown, the refrigeration equipment also includes a first liquid level sensor 401, an electronic valve 402, and a controller 403. The first liquid level sensor 401 is configured to detect a first liquid level signal of the first defrost water level in the water receiving container 230. The electronic valve 402 is installed on the defrost water outlet pipe 1016, which is in fluid communication with the water receiving container 230, to guide defrost water out of the water receiving container 230 when the electronic valve 402 is opened. The controller 403 is connected to the first liquid level sensor 401 and the electronic valve 402 respectively, and is configured to: Obtain the first liquid level signal; If the first defrost water level is determined to be no lower than the first overflow level based on the first liquid level signal, the electronic valve 402 is opened to allow the defrost water to be discharged.

[0093] In this embodiment, the first liquid level sensor can be used to monitor the defrost water level in the water receiving container in real time. This sensor can be implemented using various technologies; for example, it can be a float switch that triggers a switch signal when the liquid level reaches a preset height; it can also be an ultrasonic liquid level sensor that measures the distance to the liquid surface by emitting and receiving ultrasonic waves; or it can be a capacitive liquid level sensor that determines the liquid level by detecting changes in capacitance. Its core function is to provide an electrical signal regarding the defrost water level status in the water receiving container.

[0094] In this embodiment, the electronic valve can be a valve that can be controlled to open or close by an electrical signal, used to precisely control the discharge of defrost water. This electronic valve can be a solenoid valve, driven by the switching of an electromagnetic coil to open and close the valve core; it can also be an electric valve, driven by a small motor to rotate or raise / lower the valve. It is installed on the defrost water outlet pipe and can open or close when it receives a control signal, thereby controlling the discharge of defrost water from the receiving container. The controller is the core control unit of the entire liquid level management system, responsible for receiving sensor signals, performing logical judgments, and issuing control commands.

[0095] In this embodiment, the controller can be a microcontroller (MCU), such as an ARM-based chip, or a programmable logic controller (PLC). The controller can use a preset algorithm to determine whether the defrost water level in the receiving container has reached a preset overflow threshold based on the received first liquid level signal, and accordingly decide whether to open or close the electronic valve. The defrost water outlet pipe is a conduit connecting the receiving container to an external drainage path, used to guide the defrost water out. This outlet pipe is typically located at the bottom or side of the receiving container to ensure smooth flow of defrost water. The electronic valve allows for precise control of the drainage function of this outlet pipe. The controller acquires the liquid level signal provided by the first liquid level sensor and, based on this signal, determines whether the first defrost water level is not lower than the first overflow level. Once it is determined that the liquid level has reached or exceeded the preset first overflow level, the controller immediately issues a command to open the electronic valve, thereby guiding the defrost water out of the receiving container.

[0096] In the above solution, an automated defrost water level management system is constructed for the refrigeration equipment by introducing a first liquid level sensor, an electronic valve, and a controller. Specifically, the first liquid level sensor continuously monitors the first defrost water level in the receiving container and sends the detected level information to the controller in the form of a first liquid level signal. After receiving the first liquid level signal, the controller determines whether the current liquid level has reached or exceeded the first overflow level according to preset logic. Once the controller determines that the first defrost water level is not lower than the first overflow level, i.e., there is a risk of overflow, the controller immediately sends an opening command to the electronic valve installed on the defrost water outlet pipe. After receiving the command, the electronic valve opens, allowing the defrost water in the receiving container to be discharged through the defrost water outlet pipe. In this way, the defrost water is discharged in a timely manner, effectively avoiding the problem of overflow from the receiving container. This mechanism, combined with the function of the pre-cooling container using the cooling capacity of the defrost water for pre-cooling, enables the refrigeration equipment to efficiently utilize cooling capacity while also possessing reliable drainage management capabilities, thereby ensuring the stable operation of the equipment and the cleanliness of the operating environment.

[0097] The following example illustrates this: the first liquid level sensor in the refrigeration equipment can be a float-type liquid level switch. This switch is installed on the side wall of the water receiving container. When the defrost water level rises and touches the float, the float causes the internal contacts to close, generating a high-level signal as the first liquid level signal. The electronic valve can be a normally closed solenoid valve, with its coil connected to the output port of the controller. The controller can be an embedded microcontroller running a cyclic detection program. When the microcontroller receives a high-level signal from the float switch, it determines that the first defrost water level is no lower than the first overflow level. At this point, the microcontroller immediately applies voltage to the coil of the solenoid valve, causing the solenoid valve to open. Defrost water will then drain from the water receiving container through the defrost water outlet pipe until the liquid level drops, the float switch resets, and the microcontroller, upon detecting a low-level signal, removes the voltage, closing the solenoid valve.

[0098] Through the above technical solution, the refrigeration equipment can achieve automated monitoring and management of the defrost water level in the receiving container. When the defrost water level reaches the preset overflow threshold, the controller can respond promptly and control the electronic valve to open, draining the excess defrost water and effectively preventing overflow from the receiving container. This not only ensures the normal operation of the refrigeration equipment and reduces potential equipment damage or environmental pollution caused by overflow, but also, through precise level control, enables the pre-cooling container to continuously and stably utilize the cooling capacity of the defrost water for pre-cooling the ice-making water, improving refrigeration efficiency and energy utilization, while also enhancing the safety and reliability of the equipment.

[0099] In one implementation, such as Figure 4d As shown, the refrigeration equipment also includes an evaporating dish 1017 and a second liquid level sensor 404. The outlet of the defrost water outlet pipe 1016 faces the evaporating dish 1017 of the refrigeration equipment. The evaporating dish 1017 is located at the top of the compressor compartment of the refrigeration equipment and is configured to: carry the defrost water discharged from the defrost water outlet pipe 1016 and utilize the heat of the compressor to accelerate the evaporation of the defrost water; the second liquid level sensor 404 is configured to detect a second liquid level signal of the second defrost water level in the evaporating dish 1017. The controller 403 is also connected to the second liquid level sensor 404 and is configured to: Acquire the second liquid level signal; If the second defrost water level is determined to be no lower than the second overflow level based on the second liquid level signal, the electronic valve 402 is closed, so that the defrost water is retained in the water receiving container 230.

[0100] In this embodiment, the evaporating dish can be a container for collecting and evaporating liquid, holding the defrost water discharged from the defrost water outlet pipe, and utilizing the heat generated by the compressor operation to accelerate the evaporation of the defrost water. The evaporating dish can be a shallow, dish-shaped structure with a large surface area, made of a material with good thermal conductivity (such as stainless steel or aluminum alloy) to effectively absorb the heat from the compressor. Alternatively, the evaporating dish can be designed with internal fins or baffles to increase the contact area between the defrost water and the air, further improving evaporation efficiency.

[0101] In this embodiment, the second liquid level sensor is used to detect the liquid level of defrosting water in the evaporating dish. This sensor can be a float-type liquid level switch; when the liquid level reaches a preset height, the float triggers the switch, outputting a corresponding electrical signal. Alternatively, the sensor can be a capacitive liquid level sensor, which determines whether the liquid level has reached the second overflow level by detecting changes in capacitance caused by changes in liquid level.

[0102] The controller is connected to the second liquid level sensor and can monitor the defrost water level in the evaporating dish in real time by receiving the second liquid level signal from the second liquid level sensor. When the controller determines that the second defrost water level in the evaporating dish is not lower than the second overflow level based on the second liquid level signal, it can send a closing command to the electronic valve to prevent the defrost water from draining from the water receiving container and temporarily retain it in the water receiving container.

[0103] It is understandable that by directing the outlet of the defrost water outlet pipe to the evaporating dish located at the top of the compressor compartment, the defrost water discharged from the receiving container can be collected by the evaporating dish. Since the evaporating dish is located at the top of the compressor compartment, it can fully utilize the waste heat generated during compressor operation, transferring this heat to the defrost water in the evaporating dish, thereby significantly improving the evaporation rate of the defrost water. Furthermore, a second liquid level sensor monitors the second defrost water level in the evaporating dish. When the controller determines, based on the liquid level signal from the second liquid level sensor, that the defrost water level in the evaporating dish has reached the preset second overflow level, it can control the electronic valve to close, cutting off the discharge of defrost water into the evaporating dish. This mechanism provides the evaporating dish with additional evaporation time. For example, after the defrost water level in the evaporating dish drops to a safe range, the controller can reopen the electronic valve based on the liquid level in the receiving container, resuming the discharge of defrost water. Through this intelligent liquid level control strategy, the refrigeration equipment can efficiently and automatically handle defrost water, reducing the risk of overflow from the evaporating dish, ensuring stable operation of the equipment while maintaining a clean environment and a better user experience.

[0104] In a specific example, the evaporating dish can be a flat disc made of corrosion-resistant plastic (such as polypropylene), with multiple heat sinks on its bottom, and can be tightly fitted to the metal plate on top of the compressor compartment to maximize heat transfer efficiency. The second liquid level sensor can be a non-contact ultrasonic liquid level sensor mounted on the side wall of the evaporating dish, which accurately measures the liquid level by emitting and receiving ultrasonic waves and converts the measurement results into a digital signal sent to the controller. The controller can be an embedded microcontroller. If the controller detects that the second defrost water level in the evaporating dish has reached the second overflow level (e.g., only 1 cm from the edge of the evaporating dish), it can immediately send a control signal to the electronic valve indicating closure, closing the electronic valve and preventing defrost water from draining from the receiving container. Afterward, the controller can continue to monitor the liquid level in the evaporating dish until the defrost water evaporates due to the heat of the compressor, and the liquid level drops below the second overflow level (e.g., drops to 2 cm from the edge). At this point, the controller can send a control command to the electronic valve indicating opening, opening the electronic valve and resuming the drainage of defrost water.

[0105] Through the above technical solution, the refrigeration equipment can effectively utilize the waste heat generated by the compressor to accelerate the evaporation of defrost water, thereby achieving automatic and efficient treatment of defrost water. Simultaneously, a second liquid level sensor is introduced to monitor the liquid level in the evaporating dish and promptly closes the electronic valve when the liquid level is too high, temporarily retaining the defrost water in the receiving container. This effectively reduces the risk of overflow from the evaporating dish, improves the operational reliability and automation level of the equipment, reduces the need for manual intervention, and makes the entire defrost water treatment process of the refrigeration equipment more intelligent and energy-efficient.

[0106] In one implementation, such as Figure 4d As shown, the refrigeration equipment also includes a first temperature sensor 405 and a second temperature sensor 406, wherein the first temperature sensor 405 is configured to detect a first temperature of the ice-making water in the pre-cooling container 240; the second temperature sensor 406 is configured to detect a second temperature of the first defrosting water in the water receiving container 230; the controller 403 is also connected to the first temperature sensor 405 and the second temperature sensor 406, and is configured to: Obtain the first temperature and the second temperature; If the temperature difference between the first temperature and the second temperature is not lower than the temperature threshold, control electronic valve 402 to close. When the temperature difference is below the temperature threshold, the electronic control valve 402 opens.

[0107] In this embodiment, the first temperature sensor is used to monitor the thermal state of the water to be made into ice in the pre-cooling container in real time. It can be implemented in various forms; for example, it can be a thermistor, which outputs an electrical signal based on the characteristic of its resistance changing with temperature; it can be a thermocouple, which generates an electromotive force related to the temperature difference using the Seebeck effect; or it can be a platinum resistance thermometer, which measures the resistance using the linear relationship between its resistance and temperature. This sensor is typically installed inside the pre-cooling container or closely attached to the outer wall of the container to ensure accurate acquisition of the ice-making water temperature information. The second temperature sensor is used to monitor the cooling state of the defrosting water in the receiving container in real time. Similar to the first temperature sensor, it can also be a thermistor, thermocouple, or platinum resistance thermometer. This sensor is typically installed inside the receiving container, immersed in the defrosting water, or closely attached to the bottom or side wall of the container to accurately reflect the temperature of the defrosting water.

[0108] In this embodiment, the controller can establish a communication connection with the first and second temperature sensors, periodically read electrical signals from the first and second temperature sensors, and convert them into corresponding temperature values, namely the first temperature and the second temperature. The temperature threshold can be a preset reference value used to determine whether the defrosting water still has sufficient cooling capacity to effectively pre-cool the ice-making water. This threshold can be set according to the specific design of the refrigeration equipment, refrigeration efficiency requirements, and energy-saving goals. For example, when the temperature difference between the ice-making water and the defrosting water is greater than this threshold, it indicates that the defrosting water still has a strong cooling capacity; when the temperature difference is less than this threshold, it indicates that the cooling capacity of the defrosting water has significantly decreased. In this embodiment, when the controller detects that the difference between the first temperature and the second temperature reaches or exceeds the preset temperature threshold, it indicates that the defrosting water can still effectively provide cooling capacity to the ice-making water. At this time, the controller can send a closing command to the electronic valve to keep the electronic valve closed, thereby retaining the low-temperature defrosting water in the receiving container to maximize its cooling capacity for continuous pre-cooling of the ice-making water. When the controller detects that the difference between the first and second temperatures is lower than a preset temperature threshold, it indicates that the heat exchange efficiency between defrosting water and ice-making water has significantly decreased, and the coldness contained in the defrosting water is insufficient to provide effective pre-cooling. At this time, the controller sends an opening command to the electronic valve, causing the electronic valve to open, thereby allowing the defrosting water to drain from the water receiving container, making room for subsequent lower-temperature defrosting water, or guiding it to the evaporation dish for evaporation.

[0109] In the above scheme, by introducing a first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor, and enabling the controller to intelligently control the opening and closing of the electronic valve based on the temperature difference between the first and second temperatures detected by these two sensors, the utilization of the defrosting water's cooling capacity is optimized. Specifically, when the target evaporator defrosts, the generated low-temperature defrosting water flows into the receiving container. The ice-making water in the pre-cooling container exchanges heat with the defrosting water in the receiving container. The controller continuously monitors the first temperature of the ice-making water and the second temperature of the defrosting water. If the temperature difference between the two is large, i.e., not lower than a preset temperature threshold, it indicates that the defrosting water still has significant cooling potential and can effectively reduce the temperature of the ice-making water. In this case, the controller can keep the electronic valve closed, allowing the low-temperature defrosting water to continue to remain in the receiving container to maximize its contact time with the ice-making water and fully utilize its cooling capacity for pre-cooling. Conversely, if the temperature difference between the ice-making water and the defrosting water is small, i.e., lower than the preset temperature threshold, it indicates that the defrosting water has released most of its cooling capacity, or its temperature has risen, and its pre-cooling effect on the ice-making water is no longer significant. At this point, the controller can open the electronic valve to drain the defrost water, which has lost most of its cooling capacity, from the receiving container. This makes room for potentially lower-temperature defrost water to be generated later, or guides it to the evaporation dish for evaporation. This temperature difference-based control strategy, combined with the previous overflow control scheme that relied solely on a liquid level sensor, forms a more refined and efficient defrost water management mechanism. It not only reduces the risk of overflow from the receiving container, but more importantly, it can dynamically assess the actual cooling value of the defrost water, reducing waste of cooling resources and making the pre-cooling process more efficient, thereby improving ice-making efficiency and the overall energy efficiency of the equipment.

[0110] In the above solution, the refrigeration equipment can intelligently control the discharge of defrost water based on the actual temperature difference between defrost water and ice-making water, rather than relying solely on the liquid level. This allows the refrigeration equipment to maximize the utilization of the low-temperature cooling capacity carried by the defrost water, enabling thorough heat exchange and significantly improving the pre-cooling efficiency of the ice-making water. When the defrost water still has a high cooling capacity, the defrost water can be retained in the receiving container by controlling the electronic valve to close, reducing premature discharge and waste of cooling capacity. When the cooling capacity of the defrost water is insufficient for effective pre-cooling, the system promptly discharges it, making room for subsequent lower-temperature defrost water, ensuring a continuously efficient pre-cooling process. This refined cooling capacity management strategy effectively solves the problem of insufficient cooling capacity utilization or ineffective cooling capacity retention that may result from relying solely on liquid level control, thereby improving ice-making efficiency and reducing the energy consumption of the refrigeration equipment.

[0111] In one implementation, the controller closes the electronic valve when the temperature difference between the first temperature and the second temperature is not lower than a temperature threshold, and is configured to: If the temperature difference between the first temperature and the second temperature is not lower than the temperature threshold, and if it is determined that the first defrost water level is lower than the first overflow water level, the electronic valve is closed. When the temperature difference is below the temperature threshold, the controller opens the electronic valve, configured as follows: When the temperature difference is below the temperature threshold and the second defrost water level is determined to be below the second overflow water level, the electronic control valve opens.

[0112] In this embodiment, when the temperature difference between the first temperature and the second temperature is not lower than the temperature threshold, it indicates that the defrost water still has a high cooling capacity. At this time, keeping the electronic valve closed is beneficial for using the defrost water to pre-cool the ice-making water. However, considering the potential risk of overflow from the water receiving container, the controller also additionally determines whether the first defrost water level in the receiving container is lower than the first overflow level. Only when the first defrost water level is lower than the first overflow level, i.e., when the water level in the receiving container is safe, will the electronic valve be closed. This control strategy can reduce the problem of water overflow from the receiving container due to excessive use of the defrost water's cooling capacity, thus improving the safety of equipment operation.

[0113] In this embodiment, when the temperature difference between the first temperature and the second temperature is lower than the temperature threshold, it indicates that the cold energy contained in the defrost water is insufficient to effectively pre-cool the ice-making water, or the pre-cooling effect is poor. At this time, opening the solenoid valve helps to discharge the defrost water with increased temperature, thereby making room for new low-temperature defrost water and improving the overall pre-cooling efficiency. However, considering the potential risk of overflow from the evaporating dish, the controller also additionally determines whether the second defrost water level is lower than the second overflow level. Only when the second defrost water level is lower than the second overflow level, i.e., when the evaporating dish level is safe, will the electronic valve be opened.

[0114] The aforementioned composite judgment control logic takes into account the requirements of three dimensions: cold energy utilization efficiency, water container overflow risk, and evaporator overflow risk, further improving the rationality and reliability of defrost water management.

[0115] The above scheme optimizes the defrost water discharge control strategy by logically combining temperature difference judgment and liquid level judgment. Specifically, the controller continuously monitors the first temperature of the ice-making water in the pre-cooling container and the second temperature of the defrost water in the receiving container, and calculates the temperature difference between them. Simultaneously, the controller also continuously acquires the first defrost water level in the receiving container and the second defrost water level in the evaporating dish. When the defrost water has a high cooling capacity, i.e., the temperature difference between the first and second temperatures is not lower than a preset temperature threshold, the controller further determines whether the first defrost water level in the receiving container is lower than the first overflow level. Only when the temperature difference conditions are favorable and the liquid level in the receiving container is lower than the first overflow level, resulting in a low risk of overflow, will the defrost water be retained in the receiving container for continued pre-cooling. Once the liquid level in the receiving container reaches or exceeds the first overflow level, even if the temperature difference conditions are favorable, the controller will immediately open the electronic valve to discharge defrost water into the evaporating dish, thereby prioritizing the operational safety of the receiving container and preventing overflow. When the cooling capacity of the defrost water is insufficient to effectively pre-cool the ice-making water (i.e., the temperature difference between the first and second temperatures is below the temperature threshold), the controller further determines whether the second defrost water level in the evaporator is below the second overflow level. Only when the evaporator level is below the second overflow level will the controller open the electronic valve to drain the defrost water from the receiving container. This composite judgment mechanism ensures that the discharge of defrost water maximizes cooling capacity utilization efficiency while effectively preventing the risk of overflow from the receiving container and evaporator. In this way, refrigeration equipment can manage defrost water more intelligently, utilizing its cooling capacity for pre-cooling the ice-making water as much as possible while ensuring safe equipment operation, thereby improving ice-making efficiency and energy utilization. This control method, which combines temperature and level information, makes the utilization and discharge decisions of defrost water more comprehensive and rational, avoiding potential problems caused by single-condition judgments.

[0116] This application also provides a method for controlling a refrigeration device. This control method can be applied to the refrigeration device in any embodiment of this application.

[0117] First, such as Figure 5As shown, the refrigeration device 200' of this embodiment includes an ice-making unit 210, a target evaporator 220, a water receiving container 230, a pre-cooling container 240, a defrost water outlet pipe 250, an evaporating dish 270, and an electronic valve 260. The ice-making unit 210 is located in the ice-making circuit and is configured to freeze ice-making water into ice cubes. The target evaporator 220 is located in the target refrigeration circuit and is configured to provide cooling capacity to the target refrigeration circuit, wherein the set temperature of the refrigeration room corresponding to the target refrigeration circuit is below 0°C. The water receiving container 230 is located below the target evaporator 220 and is configured to receive the low-temperature defrost water generated during defrosting of the target evaporator 220. The defrost water outlet pipe 250 and the water receiving container 230 are fluidly connected. The defrost water outlet pipe 250 is connected to the defrost water outlet pipe 250 and is configured to guide defrost water out of the water receiving container 230 when the electronic valve 260 is opened. The outlet of the defrost water outlet pipe 250 faces the evaporating dish 270 and is configured to carry the defrost water discharged from the defrost water outlet pipe 250. The precooling container 240 is connected to the water inlet of the ice making unit 210 and is configured to store ice-making water to be supplied to the ice making unit 210. The precooling container 240 is in direct or indirect contact with the defrost water in the water receiving container 230 to transfer the coldness of the defrost water to the ice-making water stored in the precooling container 240 through heat conduction, so as to achieve precooling of the ice-making water.

[0118] The refrigeration equipment control method of this application embodiment can be specifically executed by the controller of the refrigeration equipment.

[0119] like Figure 6a As shown, the refrigeration equipment control method provided in this application embodiment includes the following steps S610 and S620.

[0120] Step S610: Obtain control reference information for electronic valve 260, wherein the control reference information includes at least one of the following: a first level signal of the first defrost water level in water receiving container 230, a second level signal of the second defrost water level in evaporating dish 270, a first temperature of ice-making water in pre-cooling container 240, and a second temperature of the first defrost water.

[0121] In this embodiment, the control reference information may refer to the set of input parameters used to determine the opening and closing state of the electronic valve, and its sources include, but are not limited to, level sensors and temperature sensors.

[0122] In one example, the control reference information may be a first level signal of the first defrost water level in the receiving container, detected by a first level sensor located within the receiving container, reflecting the current level of the defrost water in the receiving container. In another example, the control reference information may be a second level signal of the second defrost water level in the evaporating dish, detected by a second level sensor located within the evaporating dish, reflecting the current level of the defrost water in the evaporating dish. In yet another example, the control reference information may be a first temperature of the ice-making water in the pre-cooling container, detected by a first temperature sensor located within the pre-cooling container, reflecting the temperature change of the ice-making water during the pre-cooling process. In yet another example, the control reference information may be a second temperature of the first defrost water in the receiving container, detected by a second temperature sensor located within the receiving container, reflecting the actual temperature of the defrost water at the current moment. In another example, the control reference information can be any combination of the above signals, such as simultaneously acquiring the first liquid level signal and the second liquid level signal, or simultaneously acquiring the first temperature and the second temperature, or simultaneously acquiring the liquid level signal and the temperature signal, so that the controller can comprehensively judge the liquid level status of the water receiving container and the evaporating dish as well as the temperature difference between the defrosting water and the ice-making water, thereby making a more accurate electronic valve control decision.

[0123] Step S620: Control the opening and closing of electronic valve 260 according to control reference information.

[0124] In this embodiment, controlling the opening and closing of the electronic valve can refer to the controller of the refrigeration equipment sending an opening command or a closing command to the electronic valve to allow or prevent defrost water from being discharged from the water receiving container through the defrost water outlet pipe to the evaporating dish.

[0125] In one example, when the control reference information only includes a first liquid level signal, the controller can compare the first liquid level signal with a preset first overflow liquid level. If the first liquid level signal indicates that the defrost water level in the water receiving container has reached or exceeded the first overflow liquid level, the controller controls the electronic valve to open to discharge defrost water and prevent the water receiving container from overflowing; otherwise, if the liquid level has not reached the first overflow liquid level, the electronic valve remains closed or further judgment is made based on other signals.

[0126] In another example, when the control reference information includes a first liquid level signal and a second liquid level signal, the controller can perform a priority judgment: first, determine whether the liquid level in the water receiving container has reached the first overflow level; if so, immediately open the electronic valve; otherwise, further determine whether the liquid level in the evaporating dish has reached the second overflow level; if so, close the electronic valve to prevent the evaporating dish from overflowing; if neither has reached the overflow level, the state of the electronic valve can be adjusted according to other signals (such as temperature difference).

[0127] In another example, when the control reference information only includes a first temperature, the controller can compare the first temperature with a first preset temperature and control the opening and closing of the electronic valve based on the comparison result. The first preset temperature can be set according to actual needs, such as based on the current room temperature. For example, the first preset temperature can be greater than 0°C and less than the room temperature. Taking a first preset temperature of 10°C as an example, if the first temperature is higher than 10°C, it means that the current ice-making water has not yet reached the cooling requirement, and the electronic valve can be closed to continue using the cooling capacity of the defrosting water for pre-cooling.

[0128] In another example, when the control reference information only includes the second temperature, the controller can compare the second temperature with a second preset temperature to determine whether the remaining cooling capacity of the defrost water is sufficient to pre-cool the ice-making water, and then control the opening and closing of the electronic valve. The second preset temperature can also be set according to actual needs. For example, the second preset temperature can be greater than 0°C and less than or equal to 5°C. For example, if the second temperature is lower than the second preset temperature (such as 5°C), it is determined that the cooling capacity of the defrost water is sufficient, and the electronic valve can be kept closed to allow the defrost water to continue providing cooling for the ice-making water; conversely, if the second temperature is not lower than the second preset temperature, it is determined that the cooling capacity of the defrost water is insufficient, and the electronic valve can be opened to drain the defrost water.

[0129] In another example, when the control reference information includes a first temperature and a second temperature, the controller can calculate the temperature difference between the first and second temperatures and compare this temperature difference with a preset temperature difference threshold. If the temperature difference is greater than the preset temperature difference threshold, it indicates that the defrost water still has sufficient cooling capacity for pre-cooling, and the controller controls the electronic valve to close, allowing the defrost water to remain in the receiving container to prolong the heat exchange time; if the temperature difference is less than or equal to the preset temperature difference threshold, it indicates that the heat exchange has been basically completed, and the controller controls the electronic valve to open, draining the defrost water.

[0130] In another example, when the control reference information includes both liquid level and temperature signals, the controller can comprehensively apply the above logic to optimize the opening and closing state of the electronic valve based on the temperature difference, while ensuring that neither the water receiving container nor the evaporating dish overflows, in order to achieve a balance between safety and efficiency.

[0131] In the above solution, on the one hand, by directly or indirectly contacting the precooling container with the defrosting water to utilize the cooling capacity of the defrosting water to precool the ice-making water, the additional cooling capacity consumed in the ice-making process is reduced, achieving efficient recovery and utilization of the defrosting water's cooling capacity. On the other hand, by dynamically linking the opening and closing control of the electronic valve of the refrigeration equipment with multi-source sensor signals (including a first liquid level signal, a second liquid level signal, a first temperature, and a second temperature), precise coordinated control of liquid level and temperature is achieved during the defrosting water management process. This solves the problem of difficult compressor compartment assembly caused by simply increasing the volume of the evaporating dish or extending the length of the evaporating tube in the prior art. Compared with the prior art solutions that increase the refrigerant charge and increase the volume of the liquid receiver, the refrigeration equipment control method of this application not only reduces the physical expansion that occupies a compact space, but also helps to intelligently adjust the timing of defrosting water discharge by real-time monitoring of the liquid level status of the water receiving container and the evaporating dish, as well as the temperature difference between the defrosting water and the ice-making water, thereby improving the precooling efficiency of the defrosting water and reducing the risk of overflow.

[0132] In one embodiment, step S610 of obtaining the control reference information of the electronic valve includes the following steps: Step S611: Obtain the first liquid level signal; Step S620 controls the opening and closing of the electronic valve based on the control reference information, including the following steps: Step S621: If the first defrost water level is determined to be not lower than the first overflow water level based on the first liquid level signal, the electronic valve is controlled to open so that the defrost water can be discharged.

[0133] In one embodiment, step S610 of obtaining the control reference information of the electronic valve includes the following steps: Step S612: Obtain the second liquid level signal; Step S620 controls the opening and closing of the electronic valve based on the control reference information, including the following steps: In step S622, if the second defrost water level is determined to be no lower than the second overflow level based on the second liquid level signal, the electronic valve is closed to keep the defrost water in the receiving container.

[0134] In one embodiment, step S610 of obtaining the control reference information of the electronic valve includes the following steps: Step S613: Obtain the first temperature and the second temperature; Step S620 controls the opening and closing of the electronic valve based on the control reference information, including the following steps: Step S623: If the temperature difference between the first temperature and the second temperature is not lower than the temperature threshold, the electronic valve is controlled to close. Step S624: When the temperature difference is lower than the temperature threshold, control the electronic valve to open.

[0135] In one embodiment, step S610, which involves obtaining control reference information for the electronic valve, includes steps S611, S612, and S613.

[0136] Step S623, where the temperature difference between the first temperature and the second temperature is not lower than a temperature threshold, controls the electronic valve to close, including the following steps: Step S6231: If the temperature difference between the first temperature and the second temperature is not lower than the temperature threshold, and if it is determined that the first defrost water level is lower than the first overflow water level, the electronic valve is controlled to close.

[0137] Step S624 involves controlling the electronic valve to open when the temperature difference is below the temperature threshold, including the following steps: Step S6241: When the temperature difference is lower than the temperature threshold and it is determined that the second defrost water level is lower than the second overflow water level, the electronic valve is opened.

[0138] The following is for reference. Figure 6b The implementation flow of a refrigeration equipment control method according to another embodiment of this application will be described. Exemplarily, the refrigeration equipment can be a refrigerator, which may include an ice-making circuit and a freezing circuit. The ice-making circuit includes an ice maker, and the freezing circuit and ice-making circuit share a single evaporator. A pre-cooling tank is installed on the back side of the inner liner of the refrigerator, close to the evaporator's water tray. This cooling tank replaces the original water tank of the ice maker and functions as a water storage tank. Because it is installed close to the evaporator's water tray, the ice-making water stored in the pre-cooling tank is pre-cooled by the defrosting water during defrosting, but it is not frozen. Therefore, even if the pre-cooling tank is full of water, there is no need to worry about the pre-cooling tank cracking due to the expansion of ice volume. Furthermore, an ice-making water temperature sensor (first temperature sensor) is installed in the pre-cooling tank to sense the temperature T1 of the pre-cooling water; a second defrosting water temperature sensor (second temperature sensor) is installed at the bottom of the defrosting water tray to sense the temperature T2 of the defrosting water. A defrost water level sensor (first level sensor) is installed in the defrost water collection tray to sense the liquid level H1, with the maximum relative elevation of the liquid surface being H1max. A second level sensor (second level sensor) is installed in the evaporating dish assembly to sense the liquid level H2, with the maximum relative elevation of the liquid surface being H2max. An electronic expansion valve (i.e., electronic valve) is installed in the defrost water outlet pipe. The controller controls the opening and closing of the electronic valve based on the real-time acquired values ​​T1, T2, H1, and H2. Figure 6bAs shown, the controller can acquire the first defrost level H1, the second defrost level H2, the first temperature T1, and the second temperature T2 in real time, and calculate the temperature difference ΔT between the first temperature T1 and the second temperature T2. Then, it enters the first-level judgment stage to determine whether the first defrost level H1 in the water receiving tray has reached the overflow level H1max. If it is determined that H1 has reached the overflow level H1max (i.e., H1≥H1max), the controller directly controls the electronic valve to open, so that the defrost water is discharged into the evaporating dish through the defrost water outlet pipe. After completing this branch action, the process flows back to the sensor signal acquisition step to recycle and collect sensor data. If it is determined that H1 has not reached the overflow level H1max, the process proceeds to the second-level judgment stage, which checks whether the second defrosting level H2 in the evaporating dish has reached the overflow level H2max. If it is determined that H2 has reached the overflow level H2max (i.e., H2 ≥ H2max), the controller closes the electronic valve, allowing the defrosting water to remain in the drip tray. After this branch action, the process returns to the sensor signal acquisition step to recycle and collect sensor data. If it is determined that H2 has not reached the overflow level, the process proceeds to the third-level temperature difference optimization judgment stage, which checks whether the calculated temperature difference ΔT is greater than the preset temperature threshold. If it is determined that ΔT is greater than the temperature threshold, the controller closes the electronic valve, allowing the defrosting water to remain in the drip tray to continuously complete the heat exchange. After this branch action, the process returns to the sensor signal acquisition step. If it is determined that ΔT is not greater than the temperature threshold, the controller opens the electronic valve, draining the defrosting water after heat exchange into the evaporating dish. After this branch action, the process returns to the sensor signal acquisition step, thus achieving continuous cyclic detection and graded flow control.

[0139] The above solution, through a three-level judgment hierarchical control logic combined with multiple reference information of liquid level and temperature, can prioritize the use of the remaining cooling capacity of defrosting water to pre-cool the ice-making water without increasing the volume of the evaporating dish or changing the original compressor compartment assembly space. At the same time, it controls the liquid level step by step from the water receiving container to the evaporating dish, which significantly reduces the risk of water overflow from the water receiving tray and the evaporating dish. This not only improves the energy efficiency of ice making, but also enhances the stability and reliability of equipment operation.

[0140] It should be understood that the above examples are provided to help those skilled in the art understand the embodiments of this application, and are not intended to limit the embodiments of this application to the specific values ​​or scenarios illustrated. Those skilled in the art can obviously make various equivalent modifications or changes based on the above examples, and such modifications or changes also fall within the scope of the embodiments of this application.

[0141] The following will combine Figure 7This application describes the device embodiments in detail. It should be understood that the refrigeration equipment control device in the embodiments of this application can execute the various refrigeration equipment control methods described in the foregoing embodiments of this application. That is, the specific working processes of the various products described below can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments.

[0142] This application also provides a refrigeration equipment control device, which is used to execute the various steps of the refrigeration equipment control method provided in any embodiment of this application.

[0143] Figure 7 Schematic diagrams of the structure of a refrigeration equipment control device are shown in some embodiments of this application. For example... Figure 7 As shown, the refrigeration equipment control device 700 of this application embodiment includes: The acquisition module 710 is used to acquire control reference information of the electronic valve, wherein the control reference information includes at least one of the following: a first liquid level signal of the first defrost water level in the water receiving container, a second liquid level signal of the second defrost water level in the evaporating dish, a first temperature of the ice-making water in the pre-cooling container, and a second temperature of the first defrost water. The control module 720 is used to control the opening and closing of the electronic valve based on the control reference information.

[0144] Each unit module of the above-mentioned refrigeration equipment control device 700 can execute the corresponding steps in the above method embodiment, so the details of each unit module will not be elaborated here. Please refer to the description of the corresponding steps above for details.

[0145] It should be noted that the aforementioned refrigeration equipment control device 700 is embodied in the form of a functional unit. The term "unit" here can be implemented in software and / or hardware, and there is no specific limitation on this.

[0146] For example, a “unit” can be a software program, a hardware circuit, or a combination of both that implements the above functions. The hardware circuit may include an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), electronic circuitry, a processor (e.g., a shared processor, a proprietary processor, or a group processor) and memory for executing one or more software or firmware programs, combined logic circuitry, and / or other suitable components that support the described functions.

[0147] Therefore, the units of the various examples described in the embodiments of this application can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of the embodiments of this application.

[0148] In this application, "at least one" means one or more, and "more than one" means two or more. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of a single item or a plurality of items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c can mean: a, b, c, ab, ac, bc, or abc, where a, b, and c can be a single item or multiple items.

[0149] It should be understood that in the various embodiments of this application, the order of the above-mentioned processes does not imply the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of this application.

[0150] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0151] Those skilled in the art will understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0152] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed apparatus and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for example, the division of units is merely a logical functional division, and there may be other division methods in actual implementation; for example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces, and the indirect coupling or communication connection between apparatuses or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0153] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0154] In addition, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit.

[0155] The above are merely specific embodiments of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A refrigeration device, characterized in that, include: An ice-making unit, located in the ice-making circuit, is configured to freeze ice-making water into ice cubes; A target evaporator, located in a target refrigeration circuit, is configured to provide cooling capacity to the target refrigeration circuit, wherein the set temperature of the refrigeration chamber corresponding to the target refrigeration circuit is below 0°C. A water receiving container, located below the target evaporator, is configured to receive the low-temperature defrosting water generated during the defrosting process of the target evaporator. A precooling container, connected to the water inlet of the ice-making unit, is configured to store ice-making water to be supplied to the ice-making unit. The precooling container is in direct or indirect contact with the defrosting water in the water receiving container, so as to transfer the coldness of the defrosting water to the ice-making water stored in the precooling container through heat conduction, thereby achieving precooling of the ice-making water.

2. The refrigeration equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The precooling container has a first outer wall, the water receiving container has a second outer wall, and the defrosting water outlet pipe of the refrigeration equipment has a third outer wall; the first outer wall is attached to the second outer wall and / or the third outer wall, and a thermally conductive contact surface is formed between the first outer wall and the second outer wall and / or the third outer wall, so as to achieve indirect contact between the precooling container and the defrosting water through the thermally conductive contact surface; or, The precooling container has a fourth outer wall, which is immersed in the defrosting water in the water receiving container so as to be in direct contact with the defrosting water; or, The upper wall of the precooling container forms the water receiving container, wherein the upper wall is disc-shaped, so that the defrosting water directly accumulates on the upper wall, thereby achieving direct contact between the precooling container and the defrosting water.

3. The refrigeration equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The refrigeration equipment is a refrigerator, and the target evaporator includes an evaporator shared by the target refrigeration circuit and the ice-making circuit. The target refrigeration circuit includes at least one of a refrigeration circuit corresponding to the freezer compartment, a soft-freezing circuit corresponding to the soft-freezing compartment, or a variable-temperature circuit corresponding to the strain-resistant chamber.

4. The refrigeration equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ice-making circuit includes an independent ice-making evaporator, wherein the target refrigeration circuit includes the ice-making circuit, and the target evaporator includes the ice-making evaporator.

5. The refrigeration equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that, The target evaporator is a soft-freezing ice-making evaporator shared by the soft-freezing circuit and the ice-making circuit; wherein, the set temperature of the soft-freezing chamber is less than 0°C and greater than the freezing temperature, the soft-freezing chamber also includes a soft-freezing fan and a soft-freezing air duct, the soft-freezing air duct includes an air outlet and a return air outlet, the soft-freezing fan is configured to drive the low-temperature airflow cooled by the soft-freezing ice-making evaporator to enter the soft-freezing chamber from the air outlet, absorb the heat of the soft-freezing chamber and then return to the soft-freezing ice-making evaporator for further cooling through the return air outlet, wherein the return air outlet faces the pre-cooling container, and the distance between the return air outlet and the pre-cooling container is less than a distance threshold, so that the low-temperature airflow at the return air outlet flows over the surface of the pre-cooling container to assist in the pre-cooling of the ice-making water.

6. The refrigeration equipment according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The refrigeration equipment further includes a first liquid level sensor, an electronic valve, and a controller. The first liquid level sensor is configured to detect a first liquid level signal of the first defrost water level in the water receiving container. The electronic valve is installed on the defrost water outlet pipe, which is in fluid communication with the water receiving container, to guide the defrost water out of the water receiving container when the electronic valve is opened. The controller is connected to both the first liquid level sensor and the electronic valve, and is configured to: Acquire the first liquid level signal; If, based on the first liquid level signal, it is determined that the first defrost water level is not lower than the first overflow level, the electronic valve is controlled to open, allowing the defrost water to be discharged.

7. The refrigeration equipment according to claim 6, characterized in that, The refrigeration equipment further includes an evaporating dish and a second liquid level sensor. The outlet of the defrost water outlet pipe faces the evaporating dish of the refrigeration equipment. The evaporating dish is located on top of the compressor compartment of the refrigeration equipment and is configured to: carry defrost water discharged from the defrost water outlet pipe and utilize the heat of the compressor to accelerate the evaporation of the defrost water; the second liquid level sensor is configured to detect a second liquid level signal of the second defrost water level in the evaporating dish; the controller is also connected to the second liquid level sensor and is configured to: Acquire the second liquid level signal; If, based on the second liquid level signal, it is determined that the second defrost water level is not lower than the second overflow level, the electronic valve is controlled to close, so that the defrost water is retained in the water receiving container.

8. The refrigeration equipment according to claim 7, characterized in that, The refrigeration equipment further includes a first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor, wherein the first temperature sensor is configured to detect a first temperature of the ice-making water in the pre-cooling container; the second temperature sensor is configured to detect a second temperature of the first defrosting water in the water receiving container; the controller is also connected to the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor and is configured to: Obtain the first temperature and the second temperature; If the temperature difference between the first temperature and the second temperature is not lower than the temperature threshold, the electronic valve is controlled to close. When the temperature difference is lower than the temperature threshold, the electronic valve is controlled to open.

9. The refrigeration equipment according to claim 8, characterized in that, The controller is configured to close the electronic valve when the temperature difference between the first temperature and the second temperature is not lower than a temperature threshold. If the temperature difference between the first temperature and the second temperature is not lower than the temperature threshold, and it is determined that the first defrost water level is lower than the first overflow water level, the electronic valve is controlled to close. The controller, when the temperature difference is lower than the temperature threshold, controls the electronic valve to open, and is configured to: When the temperature difference is lower than the temperature threshold and the second defrost water level is determined to be lower than the second overflow water level, the electronic valve is controlled to open.

10. A control method for a refrigeration device, characterized in that, The refrigeration equipment includes an ice-making unit, a target evaporator, a water receiving container, a pre-cooling container, a defrost water outlet pipe, an evaporating dish, and an electronic valve. The ice-making unit is located in the ice-making circuit and is configured to freeze ice-making water into ice cubes. The target evaporator is located in the target refrigeration circuit and is configured to provide cooling capacity to the target refrigeration circuit, wherein the set temperature of the refrigeration chamber corresponding to the target refrigeration circuit is below 0°C. The water receiving container is located below the target evaporator and is configured to receive the low-temperature defrost water generated during defrosting of the target evaporator. The defrost water outlet pipe is in fluid communication with the water receiving container, and the electronic valve is located at the defrost water outlet pipe. On the outlet pipe, the defrost water outlet pipe is configured to guide the defrost water out of the water receiving container when the electronic valve is opened; the outlet of the defrost water outlet pipe faces the evaporating dish, and the evaporating dish is configured to carry the defrost water discharged from the defrost water outlet pipe; the precooling container is connected to the water inlet of the ice-making unit and is configured to store ice-making water to be supplied to the ice-making unit; wherein the precooling container is in direct or indirect contact with the defrost water in the water receiving container to transfer the coldness of the defrost water to the ice-making water stored in the precooling container through heat conduction, thereby achieving precooling of the ice-making water; the method includes: The control reference information of the electronic valve is obtained, wherein the control reference information includes at least one of the following: a first level signal of the first defrost water level in the water receiving container, a second level signal of the second defrost water level in the evaporating dish, a first temperature of the ice-making water in the pre-cooling container, and a second temperature of the first defrost water. The opening and closing of the electronic valve are controlled according to the control reference information.

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