Dedicated Door Bin Cooling Duct for Dual-Evaporator Refrigerators
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigerators with cooled door compartments face issues such as increased frost risk in the freezer and energy inefficiency due to the introduction of freezer air into the fresh food compartment, which affects the desired humidity and temperature balance, especially in dual-evaporator configurations.
Innovation Solution
A dedicated air duct system that directs chilled air from a fresh food compartment evaporator to the door compartment, bypassing the freezer evaporator, ensuring independent temperature control and humidity management for each compartment, and utilizing a dual-evaporator configuration to maintain energy efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If freezer air is introduced to the door compartment, then the door compartment can be cooled, but frost risk in the freezer increases due to humidity introduction
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the cooling system by providing a dedicated evaporator and air duct system specifically for the door compartment, separate from the freezer evaporator. This allows independent control of air flow paths, enabling the door compartment to receive cooled air from the fresh food evaporator without introducing humidity to the freezer, thus eliminating frost risk while maintaining cooling functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The fresh food evaporator acts as an intermediary cooling source for the door compartment. Instead of directly using freezer air, the system uses the fresh food evaporator as a mediator to provide cooled air to the door compartment through a dedicated duct, thereby avoiding the harmful effect of humidity introduction to the freezer while still achieving the desired cooling effect.
2Temperature
If freezer air is mixed with fresh food compartment air, then the door compartment receives cooled air, but the temperature balance of the fresh food compartment is adversely affected
Solution Approach 1:
The air flow system is segmented into separate pathways: one for the fresh food compartment and another dedicated pathway for the door compartment. The dedicated duct creates an independent air flow channel that draws cooled air directly from the fresh food evaporator to the door compartment without mixing with the general fresh food compartment air, thus maintaining the temperature balance and composition stability of the fresh food compartment while still providing cooling to the door.
3Device complexity
If a common evaporator is used for both freezer and refrigerator, then device complexity is reduced, but energy efficiency decreases due to additional energy expenditure required to maintain temperature balance
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into dedicated evaporators for different compartments: a fresh food evaporator for the refrigerator compartment and a dedicated evaporator for the door compartment. This segmentation eliminates the need for complex air flow control mechanisms required in single-evaporator systems, as each evaporator independently serves its designated compartment. The result is reduced energy expenditure for maintaining temperature balance while the device complexity remains manageable through functional specialization.
Solution Approach 2:
Each compartment is provided with evaporator capacity tailored to its specific cooling requirements. The door compartment, which requires continuous cooling for beverage storage, has its own dedicated evaporator ensuring consistent low temperatures without requiring energy-intensive air mixing or temperature regulation from a shared evaporator system.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution maintains a lower temperature in the door compartment for beverage storage while minimizing frost risk in the freezer and optimizing energy use by providing a dedicated cooling system for each compartment, enhancing the overall performance and efficiency of the refrigerator.
Implementation Method 1
an evaporator compartment defining an exterior and an interior and containing an evaporator
Implementation Method 2
a duct in fluid communication with the evaporator compartment at a first end thereof and in communication with a second end adjacent an opening of the fresh food compartment
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator includes a fresh food compartment and a mullion adjacent the fresh food compartment. The refrigerator further includes an evaporator compartment defining an exterior and an interior and containing an evaporator. The refrigerator also includes a duct in fluid communication with the evaporator compartment at a first end thereof and in communication with a second end adjacent an opening of the fresh food compartment. The duct has a first portion thereof that extends downwardly from the first end and a second portion extending through the mullion.