Ice Maker Heater and Cooler Control for Uniform Transparency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigerators struggle to produce ice with uniform transparency regardless of shape, as previous solutions fail to effectively control the heating and cooling processes to manage bubble dispersion and solidification rates, leading to opaque or non-uniform ice formation.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerator system with a dual-tray ice making cell and a controller that adjusts the heating amount of a transparent ice heater and the cooling power of a cooler based on heat transfer changes and space temperature, ensuring uniform transparency by managing bubble movement and solidification rates across different ice heights.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If water is cooled rapidly to increase ice making rate, then productivity is improved, but bubbles are trapped in the ice making transparency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The heater is activated before cooling begins to pre-warm the water and suppress bubble formation. This preliminary action prevents the harmful effect of bubble trapping that would occur during rapid cooling, allowing high ice making rates without sacrificing transparency.
Solution Approach 2:
The heater operates intermittently during the ice making process, alternating with cooling periods. This periodic heating maintains water temperature within an optimal range that promotes bubble rise while allowing sufficient cooling for ice formation, achieving both high productivity and transparency.
2Manufacturing precision
If heater amount is increased to improve transparency, then ice transparency is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous full-power heating, the heater applies partial heating at critical moments during the ice making process. This selective heating provides sufficient transparency improvement while minimizing energy consumption by avoiding excessive or unnecessary heating.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit monitors ice making progress and adjusts heater operation based on real-time conditions. This feedback control ensures the heater operates only when and where needed to maintain transparency, optimizing energy usage rather than applying constant heating.
3Manufacturing precision
If cooling power is increased to maintain transparency, then ice transparency is improved, but ice making rate decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling power is dynamically adjusted throughout the ice making process rather than maintained at a constant level. Cooling intensity varies based on the stage of ice formation and water temperature, allowing optimal balance between transparency maintenance and ice making speed at different phases.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operating parameters (cooling power level, heater power level, timing) based on the ice making progress and environmental conditions. These parameter adjustments allow the system to maintain transparency while adapting cooling intensity to preserve ice making 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 system consistently produces ice with uniform transparency by dynamically controlling heating and cooling, maintaining an optimal ice making rate and transparency across varying conditions, regardless of ice shape or space temperature.
Implementation Method 1
a heater disposed at one side of one of the first tray and the second tray, and controlled by a controller
Implementation Method 2
cold air supply part supplying cold air to the freezing compartment
Implementation Method 3
heat transfer between the cold and the water of the ice making cell
Implementation Method 4
when the ice making rate per unit height of water is different according to a shape of the ice making cell
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator includes an ice maker, which includes an ice making cell, a heater configured to supply heat to the ice making cell during an ice making process, and a controller configured to control the heater. A cooling power of the cooler when a temperature sensed by a temperature sensor is greater than or equal to a limit temperature during an ice making process is greater than a cooling power of the cooler when the temperature is less than the limit temperature. A heating amount of the heater when the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor is greater than or equal to the limit temperature during the ice making process is greater than a heating amount of the heater when the temperature is less than the limit temperature.