Dual Evaporator Refrigerator Layout for Uniform Cooling Capacity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Refrigeration devices face inefficiencies in cooling and freezing capacity, leading to suboptimal temperature distribution and energy consumption, particularly when handling both refrigerated and frozen goods.
Innovation Solution
A refrigeration device design featuring a dual evaporator system, where one evaporator part is located outside the compartment and another inside, with the first part surrounding the compartment as a coil evaporator and the second part being a wire tube evaporator inside, connected in series or parallel to enhance cooling capacity and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the evaporator is arranged only inside the cooling compartment, then direct thermal contact with goods is improved, but heat transfer from the surrounding environment is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The evaporator is divided into two distinct parts: a first evaporator part arranged outside the cooling compartment and a second evaporator part arranged inside the cooling compartment. This segmentation allows each part to perform different functions - the external part captures heat from the surrounding environment while the internal part provides direct cooling to goods, resolving the contradiction between energy efficiency and temperature distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The second evaporator part is nested within the cooling compartment while the first evaporator part is positioned externally, creating a nested configuration where the internal evaporator is contained within the compartment that also contains the external evaporator's cooling influence. This nesting optimizes space utilization and heat transfer pathways.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the evaporator is arranged only outside the cooling compartment, then energy efficiency is improved, but direct thermal contact with goods is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The evaporator is segmented into external and internal parts, where the external first evaporator part captures heat from the environment efficiently, and the internal second evaporator part delivers direct thermal contact to goods. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by distributing functions across spatial locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The first evaporator part acts as an intermediary that captures heat from the surrounding environment before it reaches the cooling compartment, pre-cooling the air or directly removing heat, while the second evaporator part serves as a secondary intermediary for direct goods contact. This multi-stage intermediary approach optimizes both energy efficiency and cooling capacity.
3Productivity
If a single evaporator configuration is used, then device complexity is reduced, but cooling capacity and efficiency cannot be optimized simultaneously
Solution Approach 1:
The evaporator is divided into two functional segments positioned at different locations, allowing independent optimization of each part's performance characteristics while working together to achieve superior overall cooling capacity without excessive complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The dual evaporator configuration provides multi-functionality: the first evaporator part handles environmental heat capture while the second evaporator part handles direct goods cooling, allowing a single evaporator system to perform multiple cooling functions that would otherwise require separate systems.
4Temperature
If the evaporator divides the freezer compartment into sub-compartments, then direct cooling contact is improved, but available storage space is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The first evaporator part is extracted from the interior of the cooling compartment and positioned outside, removing the need for internal evaporator structures that would divide the compartment and reduce storage space, while still providing effective cooling through the second internal evaporator part.
Solution Approach 2:
The evaporator configuration transitions from a purely internal three-dimensional structure to a distributed arrangement that extends into the external dimension, with the first evaporator part positioned outside the compartment. This dimensional change allows cooling function to be maintained while preserving internal storage volume.
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 configuration improves energy efficiency, enhances cooling or freezing capacity, and ensures homogeneous temperature distribution by providing direct thermal contact and minimizing heat transfer resistance, preventing thawing of frozen goods.
Implementation Method 1
The first evaporator part (7) is arranged outside the freezer compartment (3)... providing direct thermal contact and minimizing heat transfer resistance
Implementation Method 2
the second evaporator part (8) is arranged inside the freezer compartment (3)... ensures homogeneous temperature distribution by providing direct thermal contact
Implementation Method 3
a cooling circuit with an evaporator for cooling the cooling compartment... The cooling circuit absorbs the heat in the interior via a thermally coupled heat exchanger and releases it to the environment
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The invention relates to a refrigeration device (1) comprising an external housing (2), at least one refrigeration compartment (3) for storing refrigerated goods (5), and a cooling circuit (6) comprising an evaporator (4) for cooling the refrigerated compartment (3), wherein the evaporator (4) comprises a first evaporator section (7) and a second evaporator section (8), wherein the first evaporator section (7) is disposed outside of the refrigeration compartment (3) and wherein the second evaporator section (8) is disposed inside the refrigeration compartment (3), characterized by an especially good efficiency and a high cooling and freezing capacity.