Refrigerator and energy-saving control method and apparatus therefor
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-end refrigerators with automatic ice making systems often execute unnecessary ice-detection-with-heating actions, leading to energy waste and reduced ice storage time due to the lack of effective control mechanisms to determine if the ice storage bin is full.
Innovation Solution
An energy-saving control method that determines whether an ice-detection-with-heating action is required by monitoring the state of the ice discharge motor and position switch for the ice storage bin, preventing invalid actions when the bin is full and ensuring timely production of additional ice when needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the ice machine executes ice-detection-with-heating actions at fixed intervals to determine whether the ice storage bin is full, then the ice machine can detect ice level, but it causes energy waste when the bin is already full
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback from the position switch and ice discharge motor state to determine whether ice detection is needed. When the position switch indicates the bin is full or the ice discharge motor has recently operated, the system skips heating actions, thereby reducing energy waste while maintaining accurate ice level detection capability
Solution Approach 2:
The ice detection interval is made dynamic rather than fixed. The system adjusts the detection frequency based on real-time conditions: executing heating actions only when necessary (when position switch indicates not full or sufficient time has passed since motor operation), and skipping them when the bin is confirmed full, thus optimizing energy consumption while preserving detection accuracy
2Reliability
If the ice machine executes multiple ice-detection-with-heating actions to ensure accurate detection, then the detection reliability improves, but ice storage time is reduced due to repeated heating
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms that monitor position switch states and ice discharge motor operation history to intelligently determine when heating actions are necessary. By using this feedback, the system achieves reliable ice level detection without unnecessary repeated heating, thereby preserving ice storage time while maintaining detection reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary checks using position switch information and motor state before executing heating actions. This preliminary assessment allows the system to skip redundant heating when the bin is already confirmed full, reducing the frequency of heating actions and extending ice storage time while maintaining reliable detection through strategic heating when actually needed
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 approach reduces energy consumption and prolongs ice storage time by avoiding unnecessary heating cycles and ensuring the ice machine only operates when necessary, providing energy savings and user convenience.
Implementation Method 1
It is required to heat an ice detecting rod when the ice-detection action is executed for guaranteeing normal operation of the ice detecting rod
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a refrigerator and an energy-saving control method and apparatus therefor. The refrigerator includes an ice maker. The ice maker includes an ice discharge electric motor (1), an ice storage bin (2) and an ice storage bin position switch (3). The method includes: detecting and determining that the ice storage bin (2) is in a full ice state; controlling the ice maker so that same stops making ice, and acquiring the state of at least one of the ice discharge electric motor (1) and the ice storage bin position switch (3); and according to the state of at least one of the ice discharge electric motor (1) and the ice storage bin position switch (3), determining that the ice maker needs to do heating and ice detection actions.