Refrigerator Door Housing Airflow for Uniform Cold Air Supply
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refrigerators with a double door structure face inefficiencies in supplying cold air to the housing compartment, leading to inadequate temperature maintenance and circulation, resulting in temperatures being 2 to 3°C higher than the storage compartment.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerator design featuring a housing mounted at the rear surface of the door with a fan assembly, including a blowing fan and shroud, to efficiently supply and distribute cold air directly into the housing compartment, ensuring uniform cooling and preventing air leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a double door structure with housing is used, then cold air leakage is minimized, but cold air supply into the housing is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into multiple cooling zones with separate air inlets and outlets. Multiple air outlets are provided at different positions (front, rear, side walls) to segment the cold air distribution, ensuring sufficient cold air supply throughout the housing while maintaining the sealed double door structure for leakage prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
A fan assembly is introduced as an intermediary device to actively transport cold air from the storage compartment into the housing. The fan overcomes the distance barrier between the evaporator and housing, ensuring sufficient cold air supply without compromising the sealed double door structure that prevents cold air leakage.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the housing is located far from the back wall, then door structure flexibility is improved, but cold air supply into the housing is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
A fan assembly is introduced as an intermediary to bridge the distance gap between the evaporator at the back wall and the housing. The fan actively propels cold air across the extended distance, maintaining sufficient cooling performance while allowing the housing to be positioned flexibly within the door structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple air outlets are positioned at different spatial locations (front wall, rear wall, side walls) to distribute cold air in multiple dimensions. This multi-directional distribution compensates for the increased distance from the back wall, ensuring uniform cooling throughout the housing while maintaining structural flexibility.
3Quantity of substance
If food is stored in the housing, then storage capacity is improved, but cold air circulation is blocked
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple air outlets are positioned at different locations (front, rear, side walls) to segment the cold air entry points. This segmentation allows cold air to enter from multiple directions, circulating around and between stored food items, maintaining circulation speed while maximizing storage capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the housing have different outlet positions and characteristics. The local air distribution is optimized by placing outlets at strategic locations to ensure cold air reaches all areas, including regions with stored food, thereby maintaining circulation despite the presence of food items.
4Temperature
If a fan assembly is added to supply cold air, then cold air distribution is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fan assembly serves multiple functions: it draws cold air from the storage compartment, propels it into the housing, and works in conjunction with multiple outlets to distribute air uniformly. This multi-functionality achieves uniform temperature distribution without requiring separate complex systems for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The fan assembly is integrated with the housing structure and air outlet system. The air inlets, outlets, and fan are combined into a unified cooling system, reducing the need for separate components and simplifying the overall device structure while maintaining effective cold air distribution.
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
The solution effectively maintains the internal temperature of the housing at a set temperature or less, ensuring uniform cold air distribution and preventing interruption by baskets, thus enhancing refrigeration efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a blowing fan generating a blowing force
Implementation Method 2
a shroud guiding the flow of cold air passing through the blowing fan
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator including a housing mounted at a rear surface of a door to define a storage space of food, a basket disposed inside the housing, a duct extending to the housing from one side of an evaporator to supply cold air generated by the evaporator into the storage space of the housing, and a fan assembly coupled to the duct to allow the cold air to be forcibly supplied.