Door Ice-Making Refrigerant Pipe Layout for Faster Freezing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional bottom-freezer-type refrigerators with ice-making devices in the refrigeration compartment door suffer from reduced storage capacity and low ice-making efficiency due to the space occupation and indirect cooling processes involving cold air supply ducts, which complicate pipe arrangements and hinder direct refrigerant cooling of water.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerator design featuring an ice-making unit in the door with a direct cooling method using a refrigerant pipe and a soft pipe that connects the ice-making pipe to the refrigerant pipe, allowing direct heat exchange for ice production, enhancing cooling efficiency and ice-making speed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If cold air supply ducts and insulation structures are mounted on the wall surface of the refrigeration compartment, then ice-making function is achieved, but storage capacity is reduced and pipe arrangement is complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The cold air supply duct is nested within the insulation structure, with the insulation layer surrounding the duct. This integration eliminates the need for separate mounting spaces, preserving storage capacity while maintaining ice-making function. The duct is positioned within the wall thickness, utilizing the existing structural space.
Solution Approach 2:
The insulation structure and cold air supply duct are merged into a single integrated component. The insulation layer is applied directly to the duct surface, combining thermal protection and fluid transport functions into one element, thereby reducing overall space requirements and simplifying the wall structure.
2Adaptability or versatility
If cold air supply ducts and insulation structures are mounted on the wall surface of the refrigeration compartment, then ice-making function is achieved, but pipe arrangement complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The insulation structure and cold air supply duct are merged into a single integrated component. The insulation layer is applied directly to the duct surface, combining thermal protection and fluid transport functions into one element, thereby reducing overall space requirements and simplifying the wall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The cold air supply duct is nested within the insulation structure, with the insulation layer surrounding the duct. This integration eliminates the need for separate mounting spaces, preserving storage capacity while maintaining ice-making function. The duct is positioned within the wall thickness, utilizing the existing structural space.
3Adaptability or versatility
If indirect cooling process is used with cold air flow through ducts, then ice pieces are produced in the refrigerator door, but ice-making rate is low
Solution Approach 1:
The refrigerant cooling system is extracted from the main refrigeration cycle and dedicated specifically to the ice-making unit. A separate refrigerant line is routed directly to the ice-making evaporator, enabling independent and intensive cooling operation that prioritizes ice production speed over general refrigeration efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The refrigerant cooling system pre-cools water in the ice-making trays before the main refrigeration cycle operates. By establishing a dedicated cold source in advance, the system prepares ice-making conditions independently, accelerating the initial freezing process and overall ice production rate.
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 direct cooling method improves ice production efficiency and reduces energy consumption by allowing direct refrigerant cooling, increasing ice-making speed and reducing the complexity of pipe arrangements within the refrigerator.
Implementation Method 1
The ice-making unit exchanges heat with the refrigerant through the ice-making pipe
Implementation Method 2
the refrigerant goes through repetitive cycles of compression, condensation, expansion and evaporation
Implementation Method 3
The soft pipe is disposed around a hinge shaft of the refrigerator main body and the door and is configured to interconnect the ice-making pipe and the refrigerant pipe in a twistable manner
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator includes an ice-making unit disposed in the door and can make ice through direct cooling by a refrigerant without using cold air flow. A cold air generation system operates to circulate the refrigerant for supplying a cold air flow for the refrigerator. A refrigerant pipe is installed in the refrigerator main body to branch off some refrigerant from the cold air generation system. An ice-making pipe is installed within the ice-making unit and receives the refrigerant from the refrigerant pipe. Water freezes into ice through heat transfer between the ice-making unit and the ice-making pipe containing refrigerant. A soft pipe is disposed around a hinge shaft of the refrigerator main body and the door and configured to interconnect the ice-making pipe and the refrigerant pipe in a twistable manner.