Refrigerator, control method and control apparatus therefor, and storage medium

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of refrigeration equipment, and provides a refrigerator, a control method and device thereof and a storage medium, wherein the compressor exhaust heat is used to heat circulating liquid, and the circulating liquid is driven to flow between a heat exchange device and a thawing device by a water pump, so that the heat exchange efficiency and the thawing speed are significantly improved, thereby effectively solving the problem of slow thawing speed of traditional air convection heat exchange thawing; meanwhile, the thawing process is judged by directly obtaining the surface temperature of the thawing object, the actual state of the thawing object can be intuitively and accurately reflected, the thawing end point misjudgment caused by lack of direct monitoring is avoided, the accurate control of the thawing process is realized, and the problem of lack of pertinence and accuracy of the thawing control in the prior art is solved.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] In related technologies, existing refrigerator defrosting solutions mostly utilize air convection heat exchange in the refrigerator compartment. Due to the low heat exchange efficiency, the defrosting speed is slow and cannot meet users' needs for rapid defrosting. At the same time, existing defrosting control solutions cannot accurately determine the actual defrosting process, resulting in low accuracy in determining the end of defrosting and a lack of specificity and precision in defrosting control. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This application provides a refrigerator and its control method, control device and storage medium to solve the technical problems of slow defrosting speed and lack of precision in defrosting control caused by the inability to accurately judge the defrosting process in existing refrigerators.

[0004] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a refrigerator control method, applied to a refrigerator including a compressor, a heat exchange device, a water pump, and a defrosting device. The heat exchange device, the water pump, and the defrosting device are connected by pipelines. The heat exchange device is configured to use the exhaust heat of the compressor to heat a circulating liquid. The water pump is used to drive the circulating liquid to circulate between the heat exchange device and the defrosting device. The defrosting device is used to hold items to be defrosted. The control method includes: In response to a preset defrosting command, the water pump and the compressor are controlled to operate; Obtain the surface temperature of the object to be thawed; The thawing of the object to be thawed is determined based on the surface temperature. When it is determined that the thawing of the object to be thawed is not complete, the temperature of the circulating liquid at the outlet pipe of the thawing device is obtained; The operating status of the water pump and the compressor is adjusted based on the liquid temperature.

[0005] In some embodiments of this application, determining whether the thawing of the object to be thawed is complete based on the surface temperature includes: When the surface temperature is greater than the first preset temperature, it is determined that the thawing of the object to be thawed is complete; When the surface temperature is less than or equal to the first preset temperature, it is determined that the object to be thawed has not been completely thawed.

[0006] In some embodiments of this application, after determining whether the thawing of the object to be thawed is complete based on the surface temperature, the control method further includes: When it is determined that the thawing of the item to be thawed is complete, the water pump is shut off, and the compressor is controlled according to the refrigeration requirements of the refrigerator.

[0007] In some embodiments of this application, adjusting the operating status of the water pump and the compressor based on the liquid temperature specifically includes: When the liquid temperature is lower than the second preset temperature, the compressor is controlled to increase its operating level to increase the exhaust heat.

[0008] In some embodiments of this application, after controlling the compressor to increase its operating level, the control method further includes: The liquid temperature is measured again after a preset time interval; If the liquid temperature is still lower than the second preset temperature, the compressor will continue to be controlled to increase its operating level until it reaches the highest level.

[0009] In some embodiments of this application, the adjustment of the operating status of the water pump and the compressor based on the liquid temperature further includes: When the liquid temperature is greater than the third preset temperature, it is determined whether the compressor is currently operating at the lowest setting; wherein the third preset temperature is greater than the second preset temperature; If the compressor is not currently operating at the lowest setting, then control the compressor to operate at a lower setting.

[0010] In some embodiments of this application, when it is determined that the compressor is currently operating at the lowest speed, the control method further includes: Determine whether the compartment temperature of the refrigerator has reached the shutdown condition; If the shutdown conditions are met, the compressor is shut down while the water pump continues to run.

[0011] In some embodiments of this application, after controlling the compressor to reduce its operating speed or stop, the control method further includes: Reacquire the liquid temperature; If the liquid temperature is still higher than the third preset temperature, the water pump is turned off, allowing the circulating liquid in the thawing device to undergo static heat exchange with the object to be thawed.

[0012] In some embodiments of this application, after the water pump is turned off, the control method further includes: Continuously monitor the temperature of the liquid; When the liquid temperature is lower than the first preset temperature, the water pump and the compressor are restarted.

[0013] In some embodiments of this application, the adjustment of the operating status of the water pump and the compressor based on the liquid temperature further includes: When the liquid temperature is between the second preset temperature and the third preset temperature, the current operating state of the compressor and the water pump remains unchanged.

[0014] Secondly, embodiments of this application also provide a control device for a refrigerator, applied to a refrigerator including a compressor, a heat exchange device, a water pump, and a defrosting device. The heat exchange device, the water pump, and the defrosting device are connected by pipelines. The heat exchange device is configured to use the exhaust heat of the compressor to heat a circulating liquid. The water pump is used to drive the circulating liquid to circulate between the heat exchange device and the defrosting device. The defrosting device is used to hold items to be defrosted. The control device includes: A response module is used to control the operation of the water pump and the compressor in response to a preset defrosting command; The first acquisition module is used to acquire the surface temperature of the object to be thawed; The judgment module is used to determine whether the thawing of the object to be thawed is complete based on the surface temperature; The second acquisition module is used to acquire the liquid temperature of the circulating liquid at the outlet pipe of the thawing device when it is determined that the thawing of the object to be thawed is not complete. The adjustment module is used to adjust the operating status of the water pump and the compressor based on the liquid temperature.

[0015] Thirdly, embodiments of this application also provide a refrigerator, comprising: A refrigeration room, wherein a thawing room is provided within the refrigeration room; A refrigeration system for cooling the refrigerated room, the refrigeration system including a compressor; A heat exchange device is connected to the exhaust side of the compressor for heat exchange and is configured to use the exhaust heat of the compressor to heat the circulating liquid. A thawing device is installed in the thawing chamber, and the item to be thawed is placed on the thawing device; A water pump is connected between the heat exchange device and the thawing device, and is configured to drive circulating liquid to circulate between the heat exchange device and the thawing device; A first temperature sensor is configured to detect the surface temperature of the object to be thawed; The second temperature sensor is configured to detect the liquid temperature at the outlet pipe of the defrosting device; A controller is connected to the first temperature sensor, the second temperature sensor, the water pump, and the compressor, and the controller is configured to perform the refrigerator control method as described in the above embodiments.

[0016] In some embodiments of this application, the first temperature sensor is disposed on the upper surface of the defrosting device, and a heat insulation layer is disposed between the contact surface of the first temperature sensor and the defrosting device.

[0017] Fourthly, embodiments of this application also provide a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the refrigerator control method as described in the above embodiments.

[0018] The refrigerator control method provided in this application is applied to a refrigerator including a compressor, a heat exchange device, a water pump, and a defrosting device. The heat exchange device, the water pump, and the defrosting device are connected by pipelines. The heat exchange device is configured to heat the circulating liquid using the exhaust heat of the compressor. The water pump is used to drive the circulating liquid to circulate between the heat exchange device and the defrosting device. The defrosting device is used to place the object to be defrosted. The control method includes: controlling the operation of the water pump and the compressor in response to a preset defrosting command; acquiring the surface temperature of the object to be defrosted; determining whether the defrosting of the object to be defrosted is complete based on the surface temperature; when it is determined that the defrosting of the object to be defrosted is not complete, acquiring the liquid temperature of the circulating liquid at the outlet pipeline of the defrosting device; and adjusting the operating state of the water pump and the compressor based on the liquid temperature. By utilizing the heat from the compressor exhaust to heat the circulating liquid, and driving the circulating liquid to circulate between the heat exchange device and the defrosting device via a water pump, the heat exchange efficiency and defrosting speed are significantly improved, thus effectively solving the problem of slow defrosting speed in traditional air convection heat exchange. At the same time, this method judges the defrosting process by directly obtaining the surface temperature of the object to be defrosted, which can intuitively and accurately reflect the actual state of the object to be defrosted, avoiding misjudgment of the defrosting endpoint due to the lack of direct monitoring. This achieves precise control of the defrosting process and solves the problem of lack of specificity and precision in defrosting control in existing technologies.

[0019] Additional aspects and advantages of this application will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0020] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0021] To gain a more complete understanding of this application and its beneficial effects, the following description will be provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the following description, the same reference numerals denote the same parts.

[0022] Figure 1A flowchart illustrating the refrigerator control method provided in this application embodiment. Figure 1 .

[0023] Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating the refrigerator control method provided in this application embodiment. Figure 2 .

[0024] Figure 3 A flowchart illustrating the refrigerator control method provided in this application embodiment. Figure 3 .

[0025] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the control device for a refrigerator provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0026] Figure 5 Connection diagram of the defrosting device provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 1 .

[0027] Figure 6 Connection diagram of the defrosting device provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 2 .

[0028] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the installation of the first temperature sensor provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0029] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0030] Figure label: 100. Refrigeration compartment; 200. Defrost compartment; 300. Compressor; 400. Heat exchanger; 500. Defrost device; 600. Water pump; 700. First temperature sensor; 800. Second temperature sensor; 900. Insulation layer. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The embodiments of this application will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. The following examples are used to illustrate this application, but should not be used to limit the scope of this application.

[0032] In the description of the embodiments of this application, it should be noted that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the embodiments of this application. In addition, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0033] In the description of the embodiments of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connected" and "linked" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0034] In the embodiments of this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0035] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., refer to specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with that embodiment or example, which are included in at least one embodiment or example of the embodiments of this application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. Moreover, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of different embodiments or examples.

[0036] Currently, most household refrigerators have defrosting functions located in a separate compartment or drawer within the refrigerator compartment. These functions utilize the refrigerator compartment's temperature above 0°C, supplemented by forced convection heat exchange via a fan, to defrost the food. However, due to limited heat exchange, the defrosting efficiency is too slow, failing to meet users' needs for defrosting food in a short time. Furthermore, existing defrosting control schemes cannot accurately determine the actual progress of defrosting, resulting in low accuracy in determining when defrosting has ended, and a lack of targeted and precise defrosting control.

[0037] This application provides a refrigerator and its control method, control device, and storage medium to solve the technical problems of slow defrosting speed and lack of precision in defrosting control caused by the inability to accurately judge the defrosting process in existing refrigerators. The following will be described in conjunction with the appendix. Figures 1-8 Please provide an explanation.

[0038] The refrigerator control method provided in this application embodiment can be applied to refrigerators including a compressor, a heat exchanger, a water pump, and a defrosting device, wherein the heat exchanger, water pump, and defrosting device are connected by pipelines to form a circulation loop. Specifically, the heat exchanger is configured to use the exhaust heat of the compressor to heat the circulating liquid. The circulating liquid can be water or other heat exchange media, for example, by exchanging heat with the compressor exhaust pipeline to recover the heat from the high-temperature refrigerant generated during compressor operation. The water pump is used to drive the circulating liquid to circulate between the heat exchanger and the defrosting device. The object to be defrosted is placed above the defrosting device. As the circulating liquid flows through the defrosting device, it transfers heat to the object to be defrosted to achieve defrosting. This system structure utilizes liquid as a heat transfer medium, which has higher heat exchange efficiency compared to traditional air convection heat exchange, providing a structural basis for rapid defrosting.

[0039] For example, please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating the refrigerator control method provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0040] refer to Figure 1 As shown, the control methods for a refrigerator may include: S101: In response to a preset defrosting command, control the operation of the water pump and compressor; For example, the preset defrost command can be a defrost start command triggered by the user through the refrigerator control panel or mobile terminal, or it can be a trigger command automatically generated by the refrigerator based on the compartment temperature or the state of the food. In response to this command, the system simultaneously starts the water pump and the compressor. Starting the water pump ensures the flow of circulating liquid in the pipes, while starting the compressor ensures the continuous generation of exhaust heat. The coordinated start of the water pump and the compressor forms a complete heat transfer cycle to defrost the food.

[0041] S102: Obtain the surface temperature of the object to be thawed; For example, the surface temperature of the food to be thawed can be detected in real time or periodically by a temperature sensor, such as a contact thermistor, located on the defrosting device at the point of contact with the food. For instance, by acquiring the surface temperature of the food at fixed time intervals during the defrosting process, directly acquiring the surface temperature of the food can intuitively reflect the current defrosting status of the food compared to detecting the ambient temperature.

[0042] S103: Determine whether the thawing of the object to be thawed is complete based on the surface temperature; In one optional implementation, determining whether the thawing of the object to be thawed is complete based on the surface temperature includes: determining that the thawing of the object to be thawed is complete when the surface temperature is greater than a first preset temperature; and determining that the thawing of the object to be thawed is incomplete when the surface temperature is less than or equal to the first preset temperature.

[0043] For example, the first preset temperature can be set to any value between -3℃ and 0℃, preferably 0℃. When the detected surface temperature of the object to be thawed is greater than 0℃, it indicates that the main body of the object to be thawed has completed the phase change process, the surface has completely melted and the temperature has begun to rise, indicating that the thawing process has reached the expected goal. At this time, the thawing is determined to be complete, and the system can stop the heating operation. When the detected surface temperature is still lower than or equal to 0℃, it indicates that there may still be ice crystals inside the object to be thawed or that it is in a semi-frozen state. The thawing process is not yet complete, and heat supply needs to continue. Subsequent temperature monitoring and adjustment steps will continue.

[0044] The thawing process is determined by comparing the acquired surface temperature with a preset thawing completion temperature threshold. For example, thawing is considered complete when the detected surface temperature is above 0°C or a preset safe thawing temperature; otherwise, thawing is considered incomplete. This surface temperature determination step provides an accurate basis for determining the end of the thawing process, avoiding under-thawing or over-thawing.

[0045] S104: When it is determined that the thawing of the object to be thawed is not complete, obtain the liquid temperature of the circulating liquid at the outlet pipe of the thawing device; In this embodiment, when it is determined that thawing is not yet complete, it means that heat needs to be continued. At this time, the system further detects the liquid temperature at the outlet pipe of the thawing device. The liquid temperature at this location reflects the residual heat after heat exchange with the object to be thawed, and can characterize the current heating capacity and heat exchange temperature difference of the thawing device.

[0046] S105: Adjusts the operating status of the water pump and compressor based on the liquid temperature.

[0047] For example, the start / stop of the water pump or the speed setting of the compressor can be dynamically adjusted according to the specific value of the liquid temperature. For instance, based on the preset temperature range of the liquid temperature, the compressor speed can be increased to increase heat supply, or the speed can be decreased or the compressor can be stopped to reduce heat supply, ensuring that the temperature of the circulating liquid is maintained within a reasonable thawing temperature range.

[0048] In this embodiment, a defrosting system that utilizes the heat from the compressor exhaust to heat the circulating liquid is constructed, significantly improving the defrosting speed through liquid circulation heat exchange. Simultaneously, by detecting the surface temperature of the object to be defrosted as the criterion for determining the end of defrosting, and by coordinating the adjustment of the water pump and compressor based on the liquid temperature at the defrosting device outlet, not only is the accuracy of the defrosting end determination ensured, but the heat supply can also be dynamically adjusted according to the actual defrosting progress. This achieves precise control of the defrosting process and effectively avoids problems such as localized overheating or insufficient defrosting of food due to improper heat supply during defrosting.

[0049] In an optional implementation, after determining whether the thawing of the object to be thawed is complete based on the surface temperature, the control method further includes: when it is determined that the thawing of the object to be thawed is complete, controlling the water pump to shut off, and controlling the compressor according to the refrigeration needs of the refrigerator.

[0050] Specifically, when the surface temperature indicates that the item to be thawed has reached the thawing completion standard, the water pump is shut off, stopping the flow of circulating liquid and cutting off heat transfer from the heat exchanger to the thawing unit, thus ceasing further heating of the item. Subsequently, the system controls the compressor according to the refrigerator's actual cooling needs. For example, if the temperature in other compartments of the refrigerator, such as the refrigerator compartment or freezer compartment, reaches the set requirement, the compressor can be stopped; if other compartments still require cooling, the compressor continues to run.

[0051] In this embodiment, once the thawing of the food is determined to be complete, the water pump is immediately shut off to cut off the heat transfer path. This effectively prevents the thawed food from being reheated due to the residual heat generated by the continuous operation of the compressor, thereby avoiding overheating or spoilage of the food. At the same time, the compressor is flexibly controlled according to the refrigeration demand, avoiding energy waste and improving the overall operating efficiency of the machine.

[0052] In one alternative implementation, refer to Figure 2 As shown, the operating status of the water pump and compressor is adjusted based on the liquid temperature. Specifically, when the liquid temperature is lower than the second preset temperature, the compressor is controlled to increase its operating level to increase the exhaust heat.

[0053] Optionally, the second preset temperature is a critical temperature for determining whether the circulating liquid has sufficient heat. Its value can be set to a specific temperature that ensures effective defrosting, such as 35°C. During defrosting, if the liquid temperature at the outlet pipe of the defrosting device is detected to be less than 35°C, it indicates that the current circulating liquid temperature is low and cannot provide sufficient heat when flowing to the defrosting device, or that the heat exchange temperature difference is too small, resulting in low defrosting efficiency. At this time, the system can control the compressor to increase its operating level, such as increasing its speed, to generate more exhaust heat. The increase in exhaust heat causes the temperature of the circulating liquid to rise, thereby enhancing the heating capacity of the defrosting device, ensuring a rapid defrosting process, and thus maintaining a highly efficient and stable defrosting rate.

[0054] In one alternative implementation, refer to Figure 2 As shown, after controlling the compressor to increase its operating level, the control method also includes: obtaining the liquid temperature again after a preset time interval; if the liquid temperature is still lower than the second preset temperature, then continuing to control the compressor to increase its operating level until the compressor reaches the highest level.

[0055] Specifically, the preset time can be set according to actual needs, such as 30 seconds or 1 minute. After controlling the compressor to increase the exhaust heat, the system waits for the preset time and then re-detects the liquid temperature at the outlet of the defrosting device to determine whether the heat supply meets the requirements. If the detected liquid temperature is still lower than the second preset temperature, it means that the heating capacity at the current setting is still insufficient to raise the temperature of the circulating liquid to the effective defrosting range. The system then continues to control the compressor to increase the operating setting, for example, from a low setting to a medium-high setting. This process is repeated until the compressor reaches the highest setting, at which point the compressor provides maximum exhaust heat. If the liquid temperature still does not meet the requirements, the compressor remains at its highest setting and does not continue to increase the setting.

[0056] It should be noted that the compressor has multiple preset speed settings, each corresponding to a different compressor speed; the higher the speed setting, the higher the compressor speed.

[0057] In one alternative implementation, refer to Figure 3 As shown, the adjustment of the operating status of the water pump and compressor based on the liquid temperature also includes: when the liquid temperature is greater than a third preset temperature, determining whether the compressor's current operating speed is the lowest speed; if the compressor's current operating speed is not the lowest speed, controlling the compressor to operate at a lower speed. The third preset temperature is greater than the second preset temperature.

[0058] Specifically, the third preset temperature is a protective temperature threshold to prevent excessively high circulating liquid temperatures from causing localized overheating or overcooking of the food. Its value is higher than the second preset temperature; for example, the third preset temperature can be set to 45℃. When the liquid temperature at the defrosting device's outlet pipe is detected to be greater than 45℃, it indicates that the current circulating liquid is too hot, posing a risk of scalding the food. At this time, the system first determines whether the compressor is at its lowest setting. If the compressor is not currently at its lowest setting (e.g., at a medium or high setting), the system controls the compressor to operate at a lower setting, reducing the compressor's discharge volume and thus reducing the heat from the discharge. This reduces the heating power of the heat exchanger on the circulating liquid, thereby lowering the liquid temperature.

[0059] In this embodiment, by promptly reducing the compressor speed when the liquid temperature is too high, the continuous rise in the circulating liquid temperature can be effectively suppressed. This actively reduces the heat supply from the heat source end, preventing the surface of the food to be thawed from overheating or becoming cooked due to excessively high liquid temperature, thus ensuring the safety of the thawing process and the taste quality of the food.

[0060] In one alternative implementation, refer to Figure 3 As shown, when it is determined that the compressor is currently operating at the lowest setting, the control method also includes: determining whether the refrigerator compartment temperature has reached the shutdown condition; if the shutdown condition has been reached, the compressor is controlled to stop, while the water pump continues to run.

[0061] Specifically, when the liquid temperature exceeds the third preset temperature and the compressor is already running at its lowest setting, it indicates that the compressor's heat production capacity cannot be further reduced. At this point, the system further checks whether the temperature of the refrigerator compartment, such as the refrigerator or freezer compartment, has reached the preset shutdown temperature. If the compartment temperature has reached the shutdown condition, it means that the refrigerator does not currently require the compressor to run for cooling. In this situation, the system controls the compressor to stop, while simultaneously keeping the water pump running to drive the circulating liquid to continue flowing in the pipes. Heat transfer continues using the temperature difference between the defrosting device and the item to be defrosted, thus fully utilizing the remaining heat.

[0062] In this embodiment, when the liquid temperature is too high and the compressor is at its lowest setting, the compressor is stopped while the water pump is kept running in accordance with the refrigerator's cooling needs. This timely cuts off the heat source, avoids energy waste and overheating, and promotes heat exchange between the circulating liquid and the object to be thawed by the continuous operation of the water pump, thereby improving the thawing rate.

[0063] In one alternative implementation, in reference Figure 3 As shown, after the compressor is reduced to a lower operating level or stopped, the control method also includes: re-acquiring the liquid temperature; if the liquid temperature is still higher than the third preset temperature, then the water pump is turned off, so that the circulating liquid in the defrosting device can perform static heat exchange with the object to be defrosted.

[0064] Specifically, after taking cooling measures such as reducing the compressor speed or shutting down the system, the system re-checks the liquid temperature at the outlet of the defrosting device after a period of time. If the liquid temperature is still higher than the third preset temperature, it indicates that there is still a lot of heat in the circulating liquid, and the flow heat exchange may lead to excessively rapid heat transfer or localized overheating. At this time, the system controls the water pump to shut off, cutting off the forced flow of the circulating liquid. Since there is still circulating liquid in the defrosting device, after the water pump is turned off, a temperature difference is formed between this stagnant liquid and the object to be defrosted. The heat will be slowly released through natural convection and heat conduction, avoiding over-defrosting of the object due to continuous flow and heat exchange of the high-temperature liquid.

[0065] In this embodiment, if the liquid temperature is still too high after taking measures, the water pump is turned off and switched to static heat exchange mode. The static liquid is used to release heat slowly, which effectively avoids the problem of overheating of the surface of the object to be thawed that may be caused by forced convection heat exchange, and further improves the safety of the thawing process.

[0066] In one alternative implementation, refer to Figure 3 As shown, after the water pump is turned off, the control method also includes: continuously monitoring the liquid temperature; when the liquid temperature is lower than the first preset temperature, restarting the water pump and compressor.

[0067] Specifically, the control process does not end after the system takes measures such as shutting down the water pump and switching to static heat exchange mode due to excessively high liquid temperature. The system continuously and periodically monitors the temperature changes of the circulating liquid using a temperature sensor installed at the outlet pipe of the defrosting device. When the liquid temperature drops below a first preset temperature, it indicates that most of the residual heat in the defrosting device has been released through static heat exchange, and the liquid temperature has returned to a safe range. At this point, the system determines that the defrosting process may not be completely finished or that heat needs to be replenished, and thus restarts the water pump and compressor. The water pump restarts to drive the circulating liquid flow again, and the compressor starts to provide exhaust heat again. Both work together to restore the heat supply to the defrosting device, allowing the defrosting process to continue until defrosting is finally determined to be complete, ensuring the reliability and integrity of the defrosting function.

[0068] In an optional implementation, adjusting the operating state of the water pump and compressor based on the liquid temperature further includes: maintaining the current operating state of the compressor and water pump unchanged when the liquid temperature is between a second preset temperature and a third preset temperature.

[0069] Specifically, the second preset temperature is the threshold for determining insufficient defrosting heat, and the third preset temperature is the threshold for determining excessive defrosting heat. Together, they constitute a reasonable defrosting temperature range. For example, if the second preset temperature is set to 35℃ and the third preset temperature is set to 45℃, then when the liquid temperature detected at the outlet pipe of the defrosting device is between 35℃ and 45℃, it indicates that the current circulating liquid temperature is suitable. This ensures sufficient heat exchange temperature difference for rapid defrosting without the risk of scalding food due to excessive temperature. At this time, the system determines that the current operating state meets the defrosting requirements, therefore maintaining the current compressor speed and water pump operating state without adjustment, thus ensuring stable system operation.

[0070] The refrigerator control method provided in this application is applied to a refrigerator including a compressor, a heat exchange device, a water pump, and a defrosting device. The heat exchange device, the water pump, and the defrosting device are connected by pipelines. The heat exchange device is configured to heat the circulating liquid using the exhaust heat of the compressor. The water pump is used to drive the circulating liquid to circulate between the heat exchange device and the defrosting device. The defrosting device is used to place the object to be defrosted. The control method includes: controlling the operation of the water pump and the compressor in response to a preset defrosting command; acquiring the surface temperature of the object to be defrosted; determining whether the defrosting of the object to be defrosted is complete based on the surface temperature; when it is determined that the defrosting of the object to be defrosted is not complete, acquiring the liquid temperature of the circulating liquid at the outlet pipeline of the defrosting device; and adjusting the operating state of the water pump and the compressor based on the liquid temperature. By utilizing the heat from the compressor exhaust to heat the circulating liquid, and driving the circulating liquid to circulate between the heat exchange device and the defrosting device via a water pump, the heat exchange efficiency and defrosting speed are significantly improved, thus effectively solving the problem of slow defrosting speed in traditional air convection heat exchange. At the same time, this method judges the defrosting process by directly obtaining the surface temperature of the object to be defrosted, which can intuitively and accurately reflect the actual state of the object to be defrosted, avoiding misjudgment of the defrosting endpoint due to the lack of direct monitoring. This achieves precise control of the defrosting process and solves the problem of lack of specificity and precision in defrosting control in existing technologies.

[0071] Secondly, this application also provides a refrigerator control device, applied to a refrigerator including a compressor, a heat exchanger, a water pump, and a defrosting device. The heat exchanger, water pump, and defrosting device are connected by pipelines. The heat exchanger is configured to use the exhaust heat of the compressor to heat a circulating liquid. The water pump is used to drive the circulating liquid to circulate between the heat exchanger and the defrosting device. The defrosting device is used to place items to be defrosted. (See reference...) Figure 4 As shown, the control device includes: The response module 401 is used to control the operation of the water pump and compressor in response to a preset defrosting command; The first acquisition module 402 is used to acquire the surface temperature of the object to be thawed; The judgment module 403 is used to determine whether the thawing of the object to be thawed is complete based on the surface temperature; The second acquisition module 404 is used to acquire the liquid temperature of the circulating liquid at the outlet pipe of the thawing device when it is determined that the thawing of the object to be thawed is not complete. The regulating module 405 is used to regulate the operating status of the water pump and compressor based on the liquid temperature.

[0072] Optionally, the control device may further include a control module for executing the remaining refrigerator control methods of the above embodiments.

[0073] The refrigerator control device of this embodiment can be applied to a refrigerator and execute the refrigerator control method of the above embodiment. The specific implementation method can be referred to the above embodiment, and will not be described in detail in this embodiment.

[0074] Thirdly, embodiments of this application also provide a refrigerator, as shown in the reference. Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the refrigerator includes: a refrigeration compartment 100, within which a defrosting compartment 200 is provided; a refrigeration system for refrigerating the refrigeration compartment 100, the refrigeration system including a compressor 300; a heat exchange device 400 connected to the exhaust side of the compressor 300 for heat exchange, configured to use the exhaust heat of the compressor 300 to heat the circulating liquid; a defrosting device 500 disposed within the defrosting compartment 200, on which the object to be defrosted is placed; a water pump 600 connected between the heat exchange device 400 and the defrosting device 500, configured to drive the circulating liquid to circulate between the heat exchange device 400 and the defrosting device 500; a first temperature sensor 700 configured to detect the surface temperature of the object to be defrosted; a second temperature sensor 800 configured to detect the liquid temperature at the outlet pipe of the defrosting device 500; and a controller connected to the first temperature sensor 700, the second temperature sensor 800, the water pump 600, and the compressor 300, the controller configured to execute the refrigerator control method as described in the above embodiment.

[0075] Specifically, the refrigeration compartment 100 includes spaces for storing food, such as a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment. The defrosting compartment 200 is independently located within the refrigerator or within a refrigeration compartment 100, providing a defrosting area. The refrigeration system utilizes the compressor 300 to achieve a refrigeration cycle. The heat exchange device 400 is located close to the exhaust side of the compressor 300, using the high-temperature, high-pressure exhaust heat to heat the circulating liquid flowing through it, achieving energy recovery and utilization. The defrosting device 500 has a flow channel for the circulating liquid. The item to be defrosted is placed on the upper surface of the defrosting device 500, and defrosting is achieved through heat transfer. The water pump 600 provides power for the flow of the circulating liquid, ensuring continuous heat transfer.

[0076] The first temperature sensor 700 can be configured as an infrared sensor or a contact probe to monitor the surface temperature change of the object to be thawed in real time, serving as a basis for determining the thawing endpoint. The second temperature sensor 800 is installed on the pipeline at the outlet of the thawing device 500 to monitor the temperature of the reflux liquid. The controller, as the core control unit, receives sensor signals and outputs control commands to achieve automated closed-loop control of the thawing process.

[0077] The refrigerator provided in this application embodiment recovers the exhaust heat of the compressor 300 for defrosting by setting up a heat exchange device 400, and works with a first temperature sensor 700 and a second temperature sensor 800 to monitor the state of the object to be defrosted and the liquid temperature in real time. The controller executes the above-mentioned refrigerator control method, realizing precise temperature control and safety protection of the defrosting process. It not only utilizes waste heat to save energy, but also effectively avoids problems such as incomplete defrosting or overheating and cooking, significantly improving defrosting quality and the overall energy efficiency of the refrigerator.

[0078] In one alternative implementation, refer to Figure 7 As shown, the first temperature sensor 700 is disposed on the upper surface of the defrosting device 500, and a heat insulation layer 900 is disposed between the contact surface of the first temperature sensor 700 and the defrosting device 500.

[0079] Specifically, the first temperature sensor 700 can be a contact temperature probe, installed on the upper surface of the defrosting device 500 so that it can directly contact the bottom surface of the object to be defrosted placed on the defrosting device 500, thereby accurately detecting the surface temperature of the object. To prevent the heat from the circulating liquid inside the defrosting device 500 from being directly transferred to the first temperature sensor 700 and causing measurement errors, a heat insulation layer 900 is provided between the contact surface of the first temperature sensor 700 and the defrosting device 500. This heat insulation layer 900 can be made of single-sided adhesive-coated insulating sponge, silicone, foam plastic, high-density EPS foam, or other materials with low thermal conductivity, which can effectively block the thermal interference of the heat source inside the defrosting device 500 to the sensor.

[0080] In this embodiment, by setting a heat insulation layer 900 between the first temperature sensor 700 and the defrosting device 500, the heat interference from the circulating liquid inside the defrosting device 500 is effectively isolated, ensuring that the first temperature sensor 700 can truly and accurately reflect the surface temperature of the object to be defrosted, thereby improving the accuracy of the defrosting endpoint judgment and avoiding over- or under-defrosting due to temperature detection deviation.

[0081] Fourthly, embodiments of this application also provide a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the refrigerator control method as described in the above embodiments.

[0082] Figure 8 An example is a schematic diagram of the physical structure of an electronic device, such as... Figure 8As shown, the electronic device may include a processor 801, a communication interface 802, a memory 803, and a communication bus 804. The processor 801, communication interface 802, and memory 803 communicate with each other via the communication bus 804. The processor 801 can call logical instructions stored in the memory 803 to execute the steps of the refrigerator control method.

[0083] Furthermore, the logical instructions in the aforementioned memory 803 can be implemented as software functional units and, when sold or used as independent products, can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory 803 (ROM), random access memory 803 (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0084] On the other hand, this application also provides a computer program product, which includes a computer program stored on a computer-readable storage medium. The computer program includes program instructions, and when the program instructions are executed by a computer, the computer is able to execute the refrigerator control method provided in the above-described method embodiments.

[0085] In another aspect, embodiments of this application also provide a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor 801, is implemented to perform the refrigerator control methods provided in the above embodiments.

[0086] Computer-readable storage media can be any available medium or data storage device that can be accessed by a processor, including but not limited to magnetic storage (such as floppy disks, hard disks, magnetic tapes, magneto-optical disks (MOs), etc.), optical storage (such as CDs, DVDs, BDs, HVDs, etc.), and semiconductor storage (such as ROMs, EPROMs, EEPROMs, non-volatile memory (NAND flash), solid-state drives (SSDs)).

[0087] The device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate, and 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 modules can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs. Those skilled in the art can understand and implement this without any creative effort.

[0088] Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that each embodiment can be implemented by means of software plus necessary general-purpose hardware platforms, and of course, it can also be implemented by hardware. Based on this understanding, the above technical solutions, in essence or the part that contributes to the prior art, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, such as ROM / RAM, magnetic disk, optical disk, etc., including several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute the methods of various embodiments or some parts of embodiments.

[0089] In the above embodiments, the descriptions of each embodiment have different focuses. For parts not described in detail in a certain embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions in other embodiments.

[0090] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a refrigerator, characterized in that, An application is made in a refrigerator comprising a compressor, a heat exchanger, a water pump, and a defrosting device, wherein the heat exchanger, the water pump, and the defrosting device are connected by pipelines; the heat exchanger is configured to heat a circulating liquid using the exhaust heat from the compressor; the water pump drives the circulating liquid to circulate between the heat exchanger and the defrosting device; and the defrosting device is used to hold items to be defrosted. The control method includes: In response to a preset defrosting command, the water pump and the compressor are controlled to operate; Obtain the surface temperature of the object to be thawed; The thawing of the object to be thawed is determined based on the surface temperature. When it is determined that the thawing of the object to be thawed is not complete, the temperature of the circulating liquid at the outlet pipe of the thawing device is obtained; The operating status of the water pump and the compressor is adjusted based on the liquid temperature.

2. The refrigerator control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of determining whether the thawing of the object to be thawed is complete based on the surface temperature includes: When the surface temperature is greater than the first preset temperature, it is determined that the thawing of the object to be thawed is complete; When the surface temperature is less than or equal to the first preset temperature, it is determined that the object to be thawed has not been fully thawed.

3. The refrigerator control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, After determining whether the thawing of the object to be thawed is complete based on the surface temperature, the control method further includes: When it is determined that the thawing of the item to be thawed is complete, the water pump is shut off, and the compressor is controlled according to the refrigeration requirements of the refrigerator.

4. The refrigerator control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The adjustment of the operating status of the water pump and the compressor based on the liquid temperature specifically includes: When the liquid temperature is lower than the second preset temperature, the compressor is controlled to increase its operating level to increase the exhaust heat.

5. The refrigerator control method according to claim 4, characterized in that, After controlling the compressor to increase its operating level, the control method further includes: The liquid temperature is measured again after a preset time interval; If the liquid temperature is still lower than the second preset temperature, the compressor will continue to be controlled to increase its operating level until it reaches the highest level.

6. The refrigerator control method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The method of adjusting the operating status of the water pump and the compressor based on the liquid temperature further includes: When the liquid temperature is greater than the third preset temperature, it is determined whether the compressor is currently operating at the lowest setting; wherein the third preset temperature is greater than the second preset temperature; If the compressor is not currently operating at the lowest setting, then control the compressor to operate at a lower setting.

7. The refrigerator control method according to claim 6, characterized in that, When it is determined that the compressor is currently operating at the lowest speed, the control method further includes: Determine whether the compartment temperature of the refrigerator has reached the shutdown condition; If the shutdown conditions are met, the compressor is shut down while the water pump continues to run.

8. The refrigerator control method according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that, After controlling the compressor to reduce its operating speed or stop, the control method further includes: Reacquire the liquid temperature; If the liquid temperature is still higher than the third preset temperature, the water pump is turned off, allowing the circulating liquid in the thawing device to undergo static heat exchange with the object to be thawed.

9. The refrigerator control method according to claim 8, characterized in that, After shutting down the water pump, the control method further includes: Continuously monitor the temperature of the liquid; When the liquid temperature is lower than the first preset temperature, the water pump and the compressor are restarted.

10. The refrigerator control method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The method of adjusting the operating status of the water pump and the compressor based on the liquid temperature further includes: When the liquid temperature is between the second preset temperature and the third preset temperature, the current operating state of the compressor and the water pump remains unchanged.

11. A control device for a refrigerator, characterized in that, An application to a refrigerator including a compressor, a heat exchanger, a water pump, and a defrosting device, wherein the heat exchanger, the water pump, and the defrosting device are connected by pipelines, the heat exchanger is configured to heat a circulating liquid using the exhaust heat from the compressor, the water pump drives the circulating liquid to circulate between the heat exchanger and the defrosting device, the defrosting device is used to hold items to be defrosted, and the control device includes: A response module is used to control the operation of the water pump and the compressor in response to a preset defrosting command; The first acquisition module is used to acquire the surface temperature of the object to be thawed; The judgment module is used to determine whether the thawing of the object to be thawed is complete based on the surface temperature; The second acquisition module is used to acquire the liquid temperature of the circulating liquid at the outlet pipe of the thawing device when it is determined that the thawing of the object to be thawed is not complete. The adjustment module is used to adjust the operating status of the water pump and the compressor based on the liquid temperature.

12. A refrigerator, characterized in that, include: A refrigeration room, wherein a thawing room is provided within the refrigeration room; A refrigeration system for cooling the refrigerated room, the refrigeration system including a compressor; A heat exchange device is connected to the exhaust side of the compressor for heat exchange and is configured to use the exhaust heat of the compressor to heat the circulating liquid. A thawing device is installed in the thawing chamber, and the item to be thawed is placed on the thawing device; A water pump is connected between the heat exchange device and the thawing device, and is configured to drive circulating liquid to circulate between the heat exchange device and the thawing device; A first temperature sensor is configured to detect the surface temperature of the object to be thawed; The second temperature sensor is configured to detect the liquid temperature at the outlet pipe of the defrosting device; A controller, connected to the first temperature sensor, the second temperature sensor, the water pump, and the compressor, is configured to perform the refrigerator control method as described in any one of claims 1 to 10.

13. The refrigerator according to claim 12, characterized in that, The first temperature sensor is disposed on the upper surface of the defrosting device, and a heat insulation layer is disposed between the contact surface of the first temperature sensor and the defrosting device.

14. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, characterized in that, When executed by a processor, the computer program implements the steps of the refrigerator control method as described in any one of claims 1-10.

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