Refrigerator

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of refrigerator preservation, in particular to a refrigerator. A refrigerator comprises a nitrogen fresh-keeping cabin, an air pump, a heat exchange assembly, a nitrogen-oxygen separation assembly and a flow limiting assembly, and the air pump communicates with a freezing area of the refrigerator; the heat exchange assembly communicates with the air pump and is used for heating air pumped by the air pump; the nitrogen-oxygen separation assembly communicates with the heat exchange assembly and is used for separating nitrogen in the air passing through the heat exchange assembly; the nitrogen-oxygen separation assembly is provided with an air inlet and a nitrogen outlet, the air inlet is communicated with the heat exchange assembly, the flow limiting assembly is provided with an inlet and an outlet, the inlet is communicated with the nitrogen outlet of the nitrogen-oxygen separation assembly, and the outlet is communicated with the nitrogen fresh-keeping cabin. The air pump is used for extracting air in the freezing area for nitrogen-oxygen separation, erosion of the introduced air to the nitrogen-oxygen separation assembly is reduced, the service life of the nitrogen-oxygen separation assembly is prolonged, and the stability and high quality of the separation effect can be guaranteed.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] As people's requirements for food preservation continue to increase, refrigerator preservation technology is also constantly innovating and developing. The application of nitrogen-oxygen separation technology in refrigerator preservation is gradually attracting attention. By separating nitrogen from the air for preservation, it can effectively extend the shelf life of food and maintain its quality.

[0003] Existing refrigerator nitrogen-oxygen separation technologies typically use air directly as the gas source for separation. However, air may contain significant amounts of dust, impurities, and moisture, which not only increases the pretreatment burden before separation and easily contaminates the separation membrane, leading to reduced separation efficiency, but moisture can also damage the membrane structure, thus shortening its lifespan. Furthermore, in existing technologies, the nitrogen-oxygen separation unit operates independently of the refrigerator's refrigeration system, without effective heat exchange and coordinated operation, increasing the refrigerator's energy consumption and operating costs. Utility Model Content

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a refrigerator with a clean gas source, low moisture content, and the ability to perform heat exchange.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this application provides the following technical solution:

[0006] A refrigerator, comprising:

[0007] Nitrogen-filled food storage compartment;

[0008] An air pump is connected to the freezer compartment of the refrigerator;

[0009] A heat exchange component, connected to the air pump, is used to heat the air pumped by the air pump;

[0010] A nitrogen-oxygen separation component, connected to the heat exchange component, is used to separate nitrogen gas from the air passing through the heat exchange component; it has an air inlet and a nitrogen outlet, the air inlet being connected to the heat exchange component.

[0011] The flow-limiting component has an inlet and an outlet. The inlet is connected to the nitrogen outlet of the nitrogen-oxygen separation component, and the outlet is connected to the nitrogen preservation chamber. The nitrogen discharged from the nitrogen outlet can flow through the flow-limiting component to the nitrogen preservation chamber.

[0012] Understandably, using an air pump to draw air from the refrigeration zone for nitrogen-oxygen separation is advantageous because the air obtained from the refrigeration zone is clean and has low moisture content. This reduces the risk of particulate matter clogging the nitrogen-oxygen separation components. Furthermore, the low moisture content in the refrigerated air reduces corrosion to the components, thus extending their lifespan and ensuring stable and high-quality separation. A heat exchange system is then installed to heat the air entering the nitrogen-oxygen separation components, ensuring they reach the required operating temperature.

[0013] In one embodiment, the heat exchange assembly includes a heat exchanger, and the outlet is connected to the nitrogen preservation chamber via the heat exchanger;

[0014] The air pumped into the heat exchanger by the air pump can exchange heat with the nitrogen discharged from the outlet within the heat exchanger.

[0015] It is understandable that heating the air entering the nitrogen-oxygen separation unit by setting up a heat exchanger helps to ensure that it meets the operating temperature required by the nitrogen-oxygen separation membrane.

[0016] In one embodiment, the heat exchange assembly includes a heat exchange coil assembly, and the air pump is connected to the nitrogen-oxygen separation assembly through the heat exchange coil assembly;

[0017] The refrigerator also includes a compressor, and the heat exchange coil assembly is disposed on the compressor.

[0018] Understandably, by installing a heat exchange coil assembly on the refrigerator compressor, the heat from the compressor can be used to heat the air pumped by the air pump, ensuring that the air entering the nitrogen-oxygen separation unit has a higher temperature, which helps to meet the operating temperature requirements of the nitrogen-oxygen separation membrane. At the same time, the cooler air is used to cool the compressor, thus reducing the refrigerator's energy consumption.

[0019] In one embodiment, the heat exchange assembly includes a heat exchanger and a heat exchange coil assembly, and the air pump, the heat exchanger, the heat exchange coil assembly and the nitrogen-oxygen separation assembly are connected in sequence along the air flow direction;

[0020] The outlet is connected to the nitrogen preservation chamber through the heat exchanger, and the air pumped into the heat exchanger and the nitrogen discharged from the outlet can exchange heat in the heat exchanger.

[0021] The heat exchange coil assembly is mounted on the compressor of the refrigerator.

[0022] It is understandable that by setting up a heat exchanger to exchange heat with the air output from the air pump, and using the heat from the refrigerator compressor to reheat the air output from the heat exchanger, it is beneficial to ensure that the air entering the nitrogen-oxygen separation component meets the working temperature required by the nitrogen-oxygen separation membrane.

[0023] In one embodiment, the nitrogen preservation chamber and the freezing zone are connected by a first one-way valve, and the nitrogen preservation chamber can discharge air from the nitrogen preservation chamber into the freezing zone through the first one-way valve.

[0024] In one embodiment, the nitrogen-oxygen separation assembly includes a nitrogen-oxygen separation membrane unit, wherein the equivalent circle diameter of the cross-section of the nitrogen-oxygen separation membrane unit is set to D, wherein 25mm≤D≤40mm.

[0025] In one embodiment, the nitrogen-oxygen separation component is configured as any one of a polyimide membrane, a ceramic membrane, a metal membrane, or a carbon molecular sieve membrane.

[0026] In one embodiment, the output pressure value of the air pump is set to P, where 0.2 MPa ≤ P ≤ 0.35 MPa.

[0027] In one embodiment, the flow limiting component is configured as either a flow limiting ring or a valve.

[0028] In one embodiment, the nitrogen-oxygen separation assembly further has an oxygen outlet, through which the nitrogen-oxygen separation assembly can discharge oxygen separated from the air.

[0029] The refrigerator also includes an oxygen preservation chamber, which is connected to the oxygen outlet.

[0030] Understandably, by setting up an oxygen preservation chamber inside the refrigerator, which can be used to store living creatures that require oxygen, the refrigerator can not only preserve vegetables and fresh food, but also store living creatures, thus expanding the refrigerator's usage scenarios.

[0031] Compared to existing technologies, the refrigerator's nitrogen-oxygen separation device separates nitrogen and oxygen by drawing air from the freezing zone using an air pump. Since the air obtained from the freezing zone is clean and has low moisture content, it reduces the risk of particulate matter clogging the nitrogen-oxygen separation components. Furthermore, the low moisture content of the air in the freezing zone reduces corrosion to the nitrogen-oxygen separation components, thus extending their lifespan and ensuring stable and high-quality separation. A heat exchange component heats the air entering the nitrogen-oxygen separation components, ensuring they reach the required operating temperature. Attached Figure Description

[0032] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the conventional technology, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the conventional technology will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the 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.

[0033] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the refrigerator nitrogen-oxygen separation device provided in this application.

[0034] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the nitrogen and oxygen separation membrane unit provided in this application.

[0035] The component labels are as follows:

[0036] 100. Nitrogen-oxygen separation unit; 10. Air pump; 20. Nitrogen-oxygen separation assembly; 21. Air inlet; 22. Nitrogen outlet; 23. Nitrogen-oxygen separation membrane unit; 24. Oxygen outlet; 30. Flow limiting assembly; 31. Inlet; 32. Outlet; 40. Heat exchange assembly; 41. Heat exchanger; 42. Heat exchange coil assembly;

[0037] 200. Refrigerator; 210. Freezer compartment; 220. Nitrogen preservation compartment; 221. First one-way valve; 230. Oxygen preservation compartment; 231. Second one-way valve. Detailed Implementation

[0038] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of this application. However, this application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of this application. Therefore, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0039] It should be noted that when a component is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another component, it can be directly on the other component or there may be an intermediate component. When a component is considered to be "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to the other component or there may be an intermediate component present. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this application's specification are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

[0040] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0041] In 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 and the second feature are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" 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.

[0042] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this application have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used in this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application. The term "and / or" as used in this application includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0043] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 This application provides a refrigerator 200, which includes a nitrogen preservation compartment 220 and a nitrogen-oxygen separation device 100. The nitrogen-oxygen separation device 100 includes an air pump 10, a heat exchange component 40, a nitrogen-oxygen separation component 20, and a flow limiting component 30. The air pump 10 is connected to the freezing area 210 of the refrigerator 200. The heat exchange component 40 is connected to the air pump 10 and is used to heat the air pumped by the air pump 10. The nitrogen-oxygen separation component 20 is connected to the heat exchange component 40 and is used to separate nitrogen from the air passing through the heat exchange component 40. It has an air inlet 21 and a nitrogen outlet 22. The air inlet is connected to the heat exchange component 40. The flow limiting component 30 has an inlet 31 and an outlet 32. The inlet 31 is connected to the nitrogen outlet 22 of the nitrogen-oxygen separation component 20, and the outlet 32 ​​is connected to the nitrogen preservation compartment 220. The nitrogen discharged from the nitrogen outlet 22 can flow to the nitrogen preservation compartment 220 through the flow limiting component 30.

[0044] As can be seen from the above, air pump 10 draws air from the refrigeration zone 210 for nitrogen-oxygen separation. Since the air obtained from the refrigeration zone 210 is clean and has low moisture content, it reduces the risk of particulate matter clogging the nitrogen-oxygen separation component 20. Furthermore, the low moisture content of the air in the refrigeration zone 210 reduces erosion of the nitrogen-oxygen separation component 20, thus extending its lifespan and ensuring stable and high-quality separation. A heat exchange component 40 heats the air entering the nitrogen-oxygen separation component 20 to meet its operating temperature requirements. It should be noted that a suitable temperature can improve the activity and diffusion properties of air molecules, contributing to increased nitrogen-oxygen separation efficiency.

[0045] Here, the air pump 10 is used to connect to the freezing zone 210 of the refrigerator 200; the output pressure value of the air pump 10 is set to P, where 0.2Mpa≤P≤0.35Mpa.

[0046] In one embodiment, the nitrogen-oxygen separation component 20 is configured as any one of a polyimide membrane, a ceramic membrane, a metal membrane, or a carbon molecular sieve membrane.

[0047] Furthermore, such as Figure 2 As shown, the nitrogen-oxygen separation assembly 20 includes a nitrogen-oxygen separation membrane unit 23, and the equivalent circle diameter of the cross-section of the nitrogen-oxygen separation membrane unit 23 is set as D, where 25mm≤D≤40mm.

[0048] like Figure 1 As shown, the nitrogen-oxygen separation assembly 20 has an oxygen outlet 24, through which the nitrogen-oxygen separation assembly 20 can discharge oxygen separated from the air.

[0049] In one embodiment, the flow limiting component 30 is configured as either a flow limiting ring or a valve.

[0050] In this embodiment, the current limiting component 30 is configured as a current limiting ring, which has an inlet 31 and an outlet 32. The ratio between the diameter of the outlet 32 ​​and the diameter of the inlet 31 is set to R, where 1 / 3≤R≤1 / 2.

[0051] like Figure 1 As shown, the heat exchange assembly 40 includes a heat exchanger 41, and the outlet 32, after passing through the heat exchanger 41, is connected to the nitrogen preservation compartment 220 of the refrigerator 200. Air pumped into the heat exchanger 41 by the air pump 10 and nitrogen discharged from the outlet 32 ​​can exchange heat within the heat exchanger 41. By setting the heat exchanger 41 to heat the air entering the nitrogen-oxygen separation assembly 20, it is made to meet the operating temperature required by the nitrogen-oxygen separation assembly 20. A suitable temperature can improve the activity and diffusion properties of air molecules, thus helping to improve the efficiency of nitrogen-oxygen separation.

[0052] In one embodiment, the heat exchange assembly 40 includes a heat exchange coil assembly 42, and the air pump is connected to the nitrogen-oxygen separation assembly 20 through the heat exchange coil assembly 42 for heating the air pumped by the air pump 10; wherein, the heat exchange coil assembly 42 is disposed on the refrigerator compressor (not shown).

[0053] In one embodiment, the heat exchange assembly 40 includes a heat exchanger 41 and a heat exchange coil assembly 42. The air pump 10, the heat exchanger 41, the heat exchange coil assembly 42, and the nitrogen-oxygen separation assembly 20 are connected sequentially along the air flow direction. The outlet 32 ​​is connected to the nitrogen preservation chamber 220 through the heat exchanger 41. The air pumped into the heat exchanger 41 by the air pump 10 and the nitrogen discharged from the outlet 32 ​​can exchange heat in the heat exchanger 41. The heat exchange coil assembly 42 is disposed on the compressor of the refrigerator 200.

[0054] As can be seen from the above, by installing a heat exchange coil assembly 42 on the compressor of the refrigerator 200, the heat generated during the operation of the refrigerator 200 compressor can be used to reheat the air output by the air pump 10 or the air output by the heat exchanger 41, so that the air entering the nitrogen-oxygen separation assembly 20 has a higher temperature, which is beneficial to meet the temperature required for the operation of the nitrogen-oxygen separation membrane unit 23. It should be noted that a suitable temperature can improve the activity and diffusion performance of air molecules, which helps to improve the efficiency of nitrogen-oxygen separation. At the same time, using cooler air to cool the compressor reduces the energy consumption of the refrigerator 200.

[0055] In one embodiment, the refrigerator 200 includes a freezing zone 210, which is connected to an air pump 10 and used to supply air to the air pump 10. Here, the freezing zone 210 can be a refrigerator freezer compartment or a freezing air duct.

[0056] like Figure 1 As shown, the refrigerator 200 also includes a nitrogen preservation compartment 220, with an outlet 32 ​​connected to it. The nitrogen preservation compartment 220 and the freezer compartment 210 are connected by a first one-way valve 221, allowing air to exit the nitrogen preservation compartment 220 into the freezer compartment 210 via the first one-way valve 221. By using the first one-way valve 221, air circulation between the nitrogen preservation compartment 220, the freezer compartment 210, and the nitrogen-oxygen separation device 100 can be achieved, reducing the entry of external air and lowering the energy consumption of the refrigerator 200.

[0057] In one embodiment, the refrigerator 200 further includes an oxygen preservation chamber 230, wherein the oxygen outlet 24 is connected to the oxygen preservation chamber 230. It is understood that by providing the oxygen preservation chamber 230 within the refrigerator 200, the oxygen preservation chamber 230 can be used to store living organisms that require oxygen. Thus, the refrigerator 200 can not only preserve vegetables, fresh food, and other ingredients, but also store living organisms, broadening the application scenarios of the refrigerator 200.

[0058] In this embodiment, the oxygen preservation chamber 230 and the freezing zone 210 are connected by a second one-way valve 231, and the oxygen preservation chamber 230 can discharge air to the freezing zone 210 through the second one-way valve 231. By setting the second one-way valve 231, air circulation between the oxygen preservation chamber 230, the freezing zone 210, and the nitrogen-oxygen separation device 100 can be realized, reducing the entry of external air and lowering the energy consumption of the refrigerator 200.

[0059] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0060] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the patent protection scope of this application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A refrigerator, characterized in that, The refrigerator (200) includes: Nitrogen-filled food storage compartment (220); An air pump (10) is connected to the freezing area (210) of the refrigerator (200); A heat exchange assembly (40) is connected to the air pump (10) and is used to heat the air pumped by the air pump (10); A nitrogen-oxygen separation assembly (20) is used to separate nitrogen from the air passing through the heat exchange assembly (40); it has an air inlet (21) and a nitrogen outlet (22), the air inlet being connected to the heat exchange assembly (40). The flow limiting component (30) has an inlet (31) and an outlet (32). The inlet (31) is connected to the nitrogen outlet (22) of the nitrogen-oxygen separation component (20), and the outlet (32) is connected to the nitrogen preservation chamber (220). The nitrogen discharged from the nitrogen outlet (22) can flow through the flow limiting component (30) to the nitrogen preservation chamber (220).

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heat exchange assembly (40) includes a heat exchanger (41), and the outlet (32) is connected to the nitrogen preservation chamber (220) through the heat exchanger (41); The air pumped into the heat exchanger (41) by the air pump (10) and the nitrogen discharged from the outlet (32) can exchange heat in the heat exchanger (41).

3. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heat exchange assembly (40) includes a heat exchange coil assembly (42), and the air pump (10) is connected to the nitrogen-oxygen separation assembly (20) through the heat exchange coil assembly (42); The refrigerator (200) also includes a compressor, and the heat exchange coil assembly (42) is disposed on the compressor.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heat exchange assembly (40) includes a heat exchanger (41) and a heat exchange coil assembly (42), and the air pump (10), the heat exchanger (41), the heat exchange coil assembly (42) and the nitrogen-oxygen separation assembly (20) are connected in sequence along the air flow direction; The outlet (32) is connected to the nitrogen preservation chamber (220) through the heat exchanger (41), and the air pumped by the air pump (10) into the heat exchanger (41) and the nitrogen discharged from the outlet (32) can exchange heat in the heat exchanger (41). The heat exchange coil assembly (42) is mounted on the compressor of the refrigerator (200).

5. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The nitrogen preservation chamber (220) and the freezing area are connected by a first one-way valve (221), and the nitrogen preservation chamber (220) can discharge air from the nitrogen preservation chamber (220) to the freezing area through the first one-way valve (221).

6. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The nitrogen-oxygen separation assembly (20) includes a nitrogen-oxygen separation membrane unit (23), and the equivalent circle diameter of the cross section of the nitrogen-oxygen separation membrane unit (23) is set to D, wherein 25mm≤D≤40mm.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The nitrogen and oxygen separation component (20) is configured as any one of a polyimide membrane, a ceramic membrane, a metal membrane, or a carbon molecular sieve membrane.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The output pressure value of the air pump (10) is set to P, where 0.2Mpa≤P≤0.35Mpa.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flow limiting component (30) is configured as either a flow limiting ring or a valve.

10. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The nitrogen-oxygen separation assembly (20) also has an oxygen outlet (24), through which the nitrogen-oxygen separation assembly (20) can discharge oxygen separated from the air. The refrigerator (200) also includes an oxygen preservation chamber (230), which is connected to the oxygen outlet (24).

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