A refrigeration control method and a water purifier

Abstract

This invention uses a refrigeration control unit to determine whether a first detected water temperature in a cold tank is consistently greater than or equal to a first preset temperature over a continuous first preset time period. If so, a compressor is started to initiate refrigeration operation. During the refrigeration process, the refrigeration control unit continuously determines a second detected water temperature in the cold tank and determines whether this second detected water temperature is consistently less than or equal to a second preset temperature over a continuous second preset time period. If so, the compressor is shut down, stopping the refrigeration operation. The first and second detected water temperatures are determined by the refrigeration control unit through a comprehensive evaluation of temperature values ​​transmitted from multiple temperature sensors installed in the cold tank. This invention effectively prevents icing in the cold tank during the refrigeration process, accelerates the refrigeration speed, and saves energy.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of household appliance technology, and in particular to a refrigeration control method and a water purifier. Prior Technology

[0002] Water purifiers are a common appliance in modern businesses and homes. Most of the best-selling water purifiers on the market currently have a cooling function. Among them, water purifiers using compressor cooling are particularly suitable for situations where a large number of people need to drink water due to their rapid cooling speed.

[0003] During the cooling process, existing water purifier cold tanks are prone to water temperature stratification due to large temperature differences within the tank. In some cases, even in the later stages of the cooling process, some areas of the tank may not have reached the target temperature, but localized freezing may have already occurred.

[0004] Ice formation can cause unstable water temperature in water purifiers, affecting the user experience. Severe ice formation can also lead to problems such as the inlet and outlet of the cold tank freezing, preventing water from being dispensed; the cold tank cracking due to excessively low temperatures; the ice layer thickening and its insulating effect preventing the transfer of cold air to the water, causing the water temperature to remain high and the compressor to run continuously, wasting a lot of energy; and excessive compressor on / off ratios resulting in insufficient cooling capacity and excessive energy consumption.

[0005] In existing technologies, to prevent icing in cold water tanks during the refrigeration process, water circulation is typically used to keep the drinking water flowing continuously, thus inhibiting icing. Alternatively, an antifreeze layer structure can be added to prevent icing. However, these solutions are clearly not advantageous in terms of energy consumption and cost. For example, patent publication number CN107906835A discloses a method for improving the refrigeration efficiency of a water dispenser and a water dispenser in which the drinking water is refrigerated upon entering the cold water tank. In this application, the drinking water is kept flowing continuously in the cold water tank for at least a set time before reaching the outlet water temperature, and the flow rate is higher than the minimum water flow rate required for the drinking water to freeze, thus inhibiting icing in the cold water tank. However, this water circulation method for inhibiting icing is not very effective in practice, and icing can still occur in some cases, and the energy consumption is relatively high.

[0006] Patent publication number CN107661018A discloses a refrigeration device and a water dispenser. This application places the evaporator on the outer wall of a medium storage tank and provides an antifreeze layer on the inner wall of the medium storage tank at a position corresponding to the evaporator. This antifreeze layer prevents the refrigeration device from freezing when obtaining low-temperature drinking water. However, this method of adding an extra structure to prevent freezing, such as an antifreeze layer, increases the manufacturing cost of the water dispenser and also increases the size of the corresponding structure to some extent.

[0007] Patent publication number CN101245966A describes a method where the water dispenser's control unit receives a cold water temperature signal from a cold water temperature sensor. It compares the cold water temperature value obtained from the signal with a critical freezing temperature. When the cold water temperature is lower than this critical freezing temperature, the control unit obtains a specific comparison result and uses this result to stop the compressor, ensuring the cold water does not freeze. However, the judgment rule set in this application is relatively simplistic. If the temperature sensor deviates from the actual temperature due to resistance drift or other reasons, freezing may still occur during the water dispenser's operation.

[0008] Existing temperature sensors are prone to defects during use, such as loose soldering or cracked encapsulation, leading to open circuits, short circuits, and resistance drift, resulting in inaccurate temperature detection. Resistance drift is particularly problematic because it is highly random. While the temperature signal returned after a temperature drift may not match the actual temperature, it might still be within the normal detection range, making it difficult to determine whether the detected temperature is accurate, too low, or too high. Inaccurate temperature readings can cause the compressor to run continuously, resulting in incessant icing. For example, patent CN101245966A compares the detected chilled water temperature with the critical freezing temperature and controls the compressor to stop based on the comparison result to prevent freezing. However, if the temperature sensor's detected temperature deviates from the actual temperature due to resistance drift, continuous icing is highly likely. Summary of the Invention

[0009] Technical problem to be solved by the invention: The present invention provides a refrigeration control method and a water purifier, which aims to meet the refrigeration requirements of the water purifier while effectively preventing the refrigeration tank from freezing during the refrigeration process, thereby accelerating the refrigeration speed and saving energy consumption.

[0010] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a refrigeration control method, comprising the following steps: A refrigeration control unit determines whether the temperature of a first detected water in a cold tank is greater than or equal to a first preset temperature within a continuous first preset time period. If so, a compressor is started to enter refrigeration operation. During refrigeration operation, the refrigeration control unit instantly determines a second detected water temperature within the cold tank; It then determines whether the second detected water temperature is consistently less than or equal to a second preset temperature within a continuous second preset time period. If so, the compressor is shut down, and the cooling operation is stopped. The first and second detected water temperatures are determined by the refrigeration control unit through a comprehensive evaluation of the detected temperature values ​​transmitted by at least two temperature sensors installed inside the cold tank. The at least two temperature sensors include at least one first temperature sensor and one second temperature sensor.

[0011] Preferably, the first detected temperature and the second detected temperature are determined by the following steps: the refrigeration control unit receives a first detected temperature transmitted by the first temperature sensor and a second detected temperature transmitted by the second temperature sensor, and performs a comprehensive evaluation of the first detected temperature and the second detected temperature to determine the first detected water temperature or the second detected water temperature; wherein the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor are disposed inside the cold tank, and the straight-line distance between the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor is less than 1 cm.

[0012] The cooling control method of this invention centrally installs two temperature sensors in a certain area within a cold tank of a water purifier. By comprehensively evaluating the real-time temperature values ​​detected by the two temperature sensors, the temperature standards for turning on and off cooling are determined. Cooling is only activated when both temperature sensors detect a first preset temperature, and cooling is deactivated when one of the temperature sensors detects a temperature value lower than a second preset temperature. This cooling mechanism effectively prevents icing from forming in the cold tank during the cooling process.

[0013] This invention uses the temperature values ​​detected by the two temperature sensors to formulate a cooling strategy to prevent icing. Compared with existing technologies, this method significantly reduces energy consumption and cost. Furthermore, the two temperature value signals from the two temperature sensors are transmitted in real time for analysis by a cooling control unit. Even if the temperature sensors experience open circuits, short circuits, or resistance drift, the cooling control unit can quickly identify and distinguish these phenomena, preventing the entire cooling system from malfunctioning due to sensor failure or inaccurate detection accuracy, which could lead to a deviation between the detected temperature and the actual temperature.

[0014] In the refrigeration process, this invention further develops an operating strategy for a circulating pump. The scientific operation of this circulating pump promotes heat transfer between different areas of the water within the cold tank, accelerates the overall cooling rate of the water in the cold tank, improves refrigeration efficiency, and further prevents icing. Therefore, the objective of this invention is achieved. Simple Explanation of the Diagram

[0015] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a cooling unit of the water purifier in this invention. Figure 2 is a schematic flowchart of the cooling control method for the water purifier in this invention. Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of the present invention for determining the first and second detection water temperatures. Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating another embodiment of the present invention for determining the first and second detection water temperatures. Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the fault reporting process of the refrigeration control unit in this invention based on the first detection temperature and the second detection temperature. Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the fault reporting process for compressor timeout in this invention. Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the process when the refrigeration control unit does not start refrigeration in this invention. Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the process for determining temperature sensor malfunction in this invention. Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the process for controlling the operation of the circulating pump in this invention. Implementation

[0016] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of them. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0017] It should be noted that the descriptions involving "first," "second," etc., in the embodiments of the present invention are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by the present invention.

[0018] Example 1: Referring to Figure 1, a refrigeration unit 2 of a water purifier 1 mainly includes a refrigeration control unit 10, a cold tank (not shown), a compressor 11, a circulation pump 12, and a fan 13. The output terminal of the refrigeration control unit 10 is connected to the compressor 11, the circulation pump 12, and the fan 13 to control their operation. This embodiment designs two temperature sensors inside the cold tank to jointly detect the liquid temperature; specifically, a first temperature sensor 14 and a second temperature sensor 15 are installed inside the cold tank. The refrigeration control unit 10 receives a first detected temperature T1 from the first temperature sensor 14 and a second detected temperature T2 from the second temperature sensor 15. To ensure that the temperature readings of the two temperature sensors are close, this embodiment installs the two temperature sensors together at a certain position inside the cold tank, and the straight-line distance between the first temperature sensor 14 and the second temperature sensor 15 must be less than 1 cm. Simultaneously, this embodiment also includes a water level sensor 16 inside the cold tank. The water level sensor 16 is used to determine the liquid level in the cold tank. If the refrigeration control unit 10 receives a signal from the water level sensor 16 and determines that the liquid level in the cold tank has reached a low level, the refrigeration control unit 10 will control a water replenishment solenoid valve 17 to open and replenish water to the cold tank. However, the refrigeration control method in this embodiment requires the refrigeration control unit 10 to detect a high water level.

[0019] It is worth noting that the refrigeration unit 2 of the water purifier 1 needs to constantly monitor the liquid temperature during use in order to control the operation of the compressor 11. Therefore, the two temperature sensors are essential components.

[0020] While existing technologies generally utilize temperature sensors to monitor the liquid temperature inside the cold tank of a water purifier, few consider using the temperature values ​​detected by the two temperature sensors, as in this invention, to formulate a cooling strategy. This allows for real-time adjustment / control of the compressor 11's operation based on changes in the liquid temperature inside the cold tank, preventing prolonged cooling and maintaining the liquid temperature above freezing to avoid icing. In contrast, this invention uses the temperature values ​​detected by the two temperature sensors to formulate a cooling strategy, requiring only a change to the control program burned into the cooling control unit 10. This program-controlled method of preventing icing undoubtedly offers significant advantages in terms of energy consumption and cost.

[0021] Referring to Figure 2, the refrigeration control mechanism of this embodiment will be described in detail below:

[0022] The refrigeration control unit 10 receives the first detected temperature T1 transmitted by the first temperature sensor 14 and the second detected temperature T2 transmitted by the second temperature sensor 15 in real time. The refrigeration control unit 10 performs a comprehensive evaluation of the first detected temperature T1 and the second detected temperature T2 to determine in real time which detected temperature value is a first detected water temperature Tw1 or a second detected water temperature Tw2.

[0023] Before starting the cooling process, if the cooling control unit 10 determines that the first detected water temperature Tw1 in the cold tank is greater than or equal to a first preset temperature Ty1 for a continuous first preset time s1, then the compressor 11 is started and the cooling operation begins; the first preset temperature Ty1 can be set according to actual needs, such as 10℃.

[0024] During the refrigeration process, the refrigeration control unit 10 determines the second detected water temperature Tw2 in the cold tank in real time;

[0025] It is determined whether the second detected water temperature Tw2 is consistently less than or equal to a second preset temperature Ty2 within a continuous second preset time s2. If so, the compressor 11 is turned off to stop the cooling operation. The second preset temperature Ty2 is also set according to actual needs, such as 5℃.

[0026] The refrigeration control method designed in this embodiment centrally sets two temperature sensors, such as the first temperature sensor 14 and the second temperature sensor 15, in a certain area inside the cold tank of the water purifier 1. The refrigeration control unit 10 immediately determines which of the two temperature sensors has a more reliable temperature value, and compares the temperature value detected by one of the two temperature sensors with the set first preset temperature Ty1 and the second preset temperature Ty2 to determine the timing of starting and stopping the compressor 11. Even if the two temperature sensors experience open circuit, short circuit, resistance drift, or other phenomena that cause the temperature detected by the two temperature sensors to deviate from the actual temperature, the designed selection mechanism can avoid this, so that the entire refrigeration operation will not fail due to the failure of the two temperature sensors or the inaccuracy of their detection.

[0027] It is worth noting that, under the refrigeration mechanism of this invention, the first detected water temperature Tw1 and the second detected water temperature Tw2 are not limited to being determined solely by comprehensively evaluating the detected temperature values ​​transmitted by the two temperature sensors installed inside the cold tank. Setting more than two temperature sensors is also entirely feasible. Considering the complexity of the control program and implementation cost, setting two temperature sensors is more appropriate. Furthermore, those skilled in the art should understand that the refrigeration control method of this invention is not limited to water purifiers; it is also applicable to other devices with refrigeration functions, such as refrigerators.

[0028] Example 2: Referring to Figures 3 to 5, a refrigeration control method in this example is further configured as follows:

[0029] If the refrigeration control unit 10 determines that the first detected temperature T1 and the second detected temperature T2 are both greater than or equal to a third preset temperature Ty3 and less than or equal to a fourth preset temperature Ty4;

[0030] Then the refrigeration control unit 10 continues to compare the magnitude of the first detected temperature T1 and the second detected temperature T2, and takes the smaller detected temperature value as a first detected water temperature Tw1 or a second detected water temperature Tw2.

[0031] Additionally, if the refrigeration control unit 10 determines that only one of the first detected temperature T1 and the second detected temperature T2 is greater than or equal to the third preset temperature Ty3 and less than or equal to the fourth preset temperature Ty4;

[0032] The refrigeration control unit 10 will then use the detected temperature value that meets the above conditions as the first detected water temperature Tw1 or the second detected water temperature Tw2.

[0033] Additionally, if the refrigeration control unit 10 determines that the first detected temperature T1 and the second detected temperature T2 are both less than the third preset temperature Ty3, or greater than the fourth preset temperature Ty4;

[0034] The refrigeration control unit 10 will then report a fault and alert the user.

[0035] The third preset temperature Ty3 and the fourth preset temperature Ty4 are set according to actual conditions, such as Ty3 being set to -10℃ and Ty4 being set to 50℃. This embodiment uses these preset temperatures Ty3 and Ty4 to determine whether the temperature sensor has an open circuit, short circuit, or large resistance deviation. Cooling is activated only when the detected values ​​of both temperature sensors are within the range of the third preset temperature Ty3 and the fourth preset temperature Ty4, and both detected temperature values ​​reach the first preset temperature. Cooling is deactivated when the detected temperature value of one of the two temperature sensors is lower than the second preset temperature Ty2.

[0036] Using the cooling mechanism of the present invention, when the resistance of one of the two temperature sensors drifts and the drift temperature is greater than the first preset temperature, the water purifier 1 operates because the temperature sensor with the lower reference detection temperature value is running. When the temperature value of the low temperature sensor reaches the first preset temperature, the cooling is turned on, and when the second preset temperature is reached, the cooling is turned off. At this time, the normal operation of the water purifier 1 can also be guaranteed.

[0037] When one of the two temperature sensors experiences resistance drift and the drift temperature is lower than the first preset temperature, the water purifier 1 will not activate cooling and will operate at room temperature, posing no safety risk. Therefore, the cooling mechanism of this invention avoids the situation where the program lacks a definite reference point due to resistance and temperature deviations between the two temperature sensors.

[0038] Example 3: Referring to Figure 6, this example further sets the following refrigeration rules:

[0039] During the cooling process, if the cooling control unit 10 determines that both the first detected temperature T1 and the second detected temperature T2 are greater than or equal to the first preset temperature Ty1 and less than or equal to the fourth preset temperature Ty4, but the compressor 11 has been running for more than a third preset time s3, then the cooling control unit 10 shuts down the compressor 11, stops the cooling operation, reports a fault, and alerts the user. The third preset time s3 is the normal cooling time of the compressor 11 plus a single maximum cooling time set with a margin. In this embodiment, by detecting the running time of the compressor 11, it determines whether the single maximum cooling time has been exceeded; if it has, the compressor 11 is immediately shut down, stopping the cooling. This ensures that the water purifier 1 will not experience serious problems or safety risks.

[0040] Example 4: Referring to Figure 7, this example further sets the following refrigeration rules:

[0041] If the refrigeration control unit 10 determines that the first detection temperature T1 and the second detection temperature T2 are both less than the first preset temperature Ty1 and greater than or equal to the third preset temperature Ty3, the refrigeration control unit 10 will not start the compressor 11 for refrigeration.

[0042] Thus, when the temperatures of the two temperature sensors are both below the first preset temperature Ty1 and within the normal detection range, the water purifier 1 will not start cooling and will not pose a safety risk. At the same time, users will have a noticeable feeling that the water purifier 1 is not cooling when using it, and can contact after-sales service for repair.

[0043] Example 5: Referring to Figure 8, this example further sets the following refrigeration rules:

[0044] After the compressor 11 stops running and the cooling process ends, the refrigeration control unit 10 records the time when the compressor 11 stops running. If it is determined that the time when the compressor 11 stops running exceeds a fourth preset time s4, and one of the first detected temperature T1 and the second detected temperature T2 is less than the first preset temperature Ty1 and greater than or equal to the third preset temperature Ty3, then the refrigeration control unit 10 considers the temperature sensor whose detected temperature value meets the conditions as an abnormal sensor and performs shielding processing on it.

[0045] This is a mechanism for identifying temperature sensor resistance drift that is below the cooling temperature. Within two cooling cycles, the compressor 11's off-run time can generally be understood as the cooling and heat preservation time of the cold tank. A fourth preset time s4 is a set abnormal heat preservation time. Normally, the compressor 11's off-run time (i.e., normal heat preservation time) within two cooling cycles will be shorter than the fourth preset time s4. However, if the compressor 11's off-run time has exceeded the fourth preset time s4, but one temperature sensor still detects a temperature value lower than the first preset temperature Ty1 (the probability of both temperature sensors simultaneously exhibiting resistance drift is low), then that temperature sensor is likely abnormal. The cooling control unit 10 can be programmed to shield this temperature sensor, subsequently referencing only the other temperature sensor to ensure the normal operation of the water purifier 1.

[0046] Example 6: Referring to Figure 9, in order to ensure that the water purifier 1 has a better cooling effect, this example further formulates the operation strategy of the circulation pump 12. The scientific operation of the circulation pump 12 can promote the heat transfer of water in different areas of the cold tank, accelerate the overall cooling speed of the water in the cold tank, improve the cooling efficiency, and further avoid the occurrence of freezing.

[0047] During the cooling process, the cooling control unit 10 determines the second detected water temperature Tw2 in the cold tank by comprehensively evaluating the detected temperature values ​​transmitted by the two temperature sensors installed in the cold tank.

[0048] When the second detected water temperature Tw2 is determined to be less than or equal to a fifth preset temperature Ty5, the circulation pump 12 is turned on to circulate the water in the cold tank; the fifth preset temperature Ty5 is set according to actual needs, such as 14℃.

[0049] Within the range where the second detected water temperature Tw2 is less than or equal to the fifth preset temperature Ty5 and greater than a sixth preset temperature Ty6, the circulation pump 12 remains on for the fifth preset time s5 and stops for the sixth preset time s6, which is 2 to 3 times the fifth preset time s5. The sixth preset temperature Ty6, the fifth preset time s5, and the sixth preset time s6 are set according to actual needs, such as 10℃, 1 minute, and 3 minutes.

[0050] Within the range where the second detected water temperature Tw2 is less than or equal to the sixth preset temperature Ty6 and greater than the seventh preset temperature Ty7, the circulation pump 12 remains on for a seventh preset time s7 and stops for an eighth preset time s8. The seventh preset time s7 is 1 to 2 times the eighth preset time s8. The seventh preset temperature Ty7, the seventh preset time s7, and the eighth preset time s8 are set according to actual needs, such as 6℃, 2 minutes, and 1 minute.

[0051] Within the range where the second detected water temperature Tw2 is less than or equal to the seventh preset temperature Ty7 and greater than the second preset temperature Ty2, the circulation pump 12 remains on and continues to operate for a ninth preset time s9 after the compressor 11 stops. The ninth preset time s9 is set according to actual needs, such as 1 minute.

[0052] Example 7: The water purifier 1 of the present invention includes a cooling control unit 10 comprising: a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor. When the computer program is executed by the processor, it implements the cooling control method described in Examples 1 to 6.

[0053] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. All equivalent structural transformations made under the inventive concept of the present invention using the contents of the present invention specification and drawings, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the patent protection scope of the present invention.

[0054] 1: Water purifier 2: Refrigeration unit 10: Refrigeration control unit 11: Compressor 12: Circulation pump 13: Fan 14: First temperature sensor 15: Second temperature sensor 16: Water level sensor 17: Water supply solenoid valve T1: First detection temperature T2: Second detection temperature Tw1: First test water temperature Tw2: Second water temperature detection Ty1: First preset temperature Ty2: Second preset temperature Ty3: Third preset temperature Ty4: Fourth preset temperature Ty5: Fifth preset temperature Ty6: Sixth preset temperature Ty7: Seventh preset temperature s1: First preset time s2: Second preset time s3: Third preset time s4: Fourth preset time s5: Fifth preset time s6: Sixth preset time s7: Seventh preset time s8: Eighth preset time s9: Ninth preset time

Claims

1. A refrigeration control method, comprising the following steps: A refrigeration control unit determines whether a first detected water temperature in a cold tank is greater than or equal to a first preset temperature for a continuous first preset time period; if so, a compressor is started to enter refrigeration operation; During refrigeration operation, the refrigeration control unit immediately determines a second detected water temperature in the cold tank; and determines whether the second detected water temperature is less than or equal to a second preset temperature for a continuous second preset time period; if so, the compressor is turned off to stop refrigeration operation; The first and second detected water temperatures are determined by the refrigeration control unit through a comprehensive evaluation of the detected temperature values ​​transmitted by at least two temperature sensors installed inside the cold tank. The at least two temperature sensors include at least one first temperature sensor and one second temperature sensor. The first and second detected temperatures are determined by the following steps: the refrigeration control unit receives a first detected temperature transmitted by the first temperature sensor and a second detected temperature transmitted by the second temperature sensor, and performs a comprehensive evaluation of the first and second detected temperatures to determine the first or second detected water temperature; wherein the first and second temperature sensors are installed inside the cold tank, and the straight-line distance between the first and second temperature sensors is less than 1 cm.

2. The refrigeration control method as described in claim 1 further includes the following steps: If the refrigeration control unit determines that the first detected temperature and the second detected temperature are both greater than or equal to a third preset temperature and less than or equal to a fourth preset temperature, then the refrigeration control unit continues to compare the magnitudes of the first detected temperature and the second detected temperature, and takes the smaller detected temperature value as the first detected water temperature or the second detected water temperature.

3. The refrigeration control method as described in claim 1 further includes the following steps: If the refrigeration control unit determines that only one of the first detected temperature and the second detected temperature is greater than or equal to a third preset temperature and less than or equal to a fourth preset temperature, then the refrigeration control unit uses the detected temperature value that satisfies the above conditions as the first detected water temperature or the second detected water temperature.

4. The refrigeration control method as described in claim 1 further includes the following steps: if the refrigeration control unit determines that both the first detected temperature and the second detected temperature are less than a third preset temperature or greater than a fourth preset temperature, then the refrigeration control unit reports a fault.

5. The refrigeration control method according to any one of claims 2 to 4 further comprises the following steps: during the refrigeration process, if the refrigeration control unit determines that the first detected temperature and the second detected temperature are both greater than or equal to the first preset temperature and less than or equal to the fourth preset temperature, but the compressor running time has exceeded a third preset time, then the refrigeration control unit shuts down the compressor, stops the refrigeration operation, and reports a fault.

6. The refrigeration control method according to any one of claims 2 to 4 further comprises the following steps: the refrigeration control unit determines that the first detected temperature and the second detected temperature are both less than the first preset temperature and greater than or equal to the third preset temperature, and the refrigeration control unit does not start the compressor for refrigeration.

7. The refrigeration control method according to any one of claims 2 to 4 further comprises the following steps: After the compressor stops running and the refrigeration process ends, the refrigeration control unit records the compressor's stop running time. If it is determined that the compressor's stop running time exceeds a fourth preset time, and one of the first detected temperature and the second detected temperature is less than the first preset temperature and greater than or equal to the third preset temperature, then the refrigeration control unit regards the temperature sensor whose detected temperature value meets the conditions as an abnormal sensor and shields it.

8. The refrigeration control method according to any one of claims 1 to 4 further comprises the following steps: During the refrigeration process, the refrigeration control unit determines, based on the second detected water temperature in the cold tank, that the second detected water temperature is less than or equal to a fifth preset temperature, and then activates a circulation pump to circulate the water in the cold tank; Within the range where the second detected water temperature is less than or equal to the fifth preset temperature and greater than a sixth preset temperature, the circulation pump remains on for a fifth preset time and then stops for a sixth preset time, the sixth preset time being 2 to 3 times the fifth preset time; Within the range where the second detected water temperature is less than or equal to the sixth preset temperature and greater than a seventh preset temperature, the circulation pump remains on for a seventh preset time and then stops for an eighth preset time, the seventh preset time being 1 to 2 times the eighth preset time; Within the range where the second detected water temperature is less than or equal to the seventh preset temperature and greater than the second preset temperature, the circulation pump remains on and continues to operate for a ninth preset time after the compressor stops.

9. A water purifier, wherein, The cooling control unit of the water purifier includes: a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the computer program, when executed by the processor, implements the cooling control method as described in any one of claims 1 to 8.

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