Ice Maker Spark Discharge to Release Supercooling for Transparent Ice
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigerators struggle to control supercooling during ice making, leading to opaque ice formation, and the use of nucleation agents is not suitable for food and beverage applications due to consumer safety concerns and handling issues.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerator system with a first and second tray, a temperature sensor, and a discharge spark generator to detect and release supercooling by generating a spark when the temperature drops below a predetermined threshold, without the need for nucleation agents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If nucleation agents are added to reduce supercooling, then the transparency of ice is improved, but the safety and purity of ice for food and beverage is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the harmful nucleation agents from the ice making process. Instead of adding chemical substances to control supercooling, the patent uses a physical method (spark discharge) to initiate crystallization, thereby achieving transparent ice without compromising purity or safety
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the chemical method (nucleation agents) with a physical method (electrical spark discharge). The spark generator creates controlled electrical discharges that provide nucleation sites for ice crystal formation, eliminating the need for chemical additives while maintaining ice transparency
2Manufacturing precision
If nucleation agents are used to prevent supercooling, then the ice making quality is improved, but the device complexity and handling difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the complex storage and injection systems for nucleation agents by replacing them with a simpler spark generation device. The nucleation agent storage container, injection mechanism, and associated control systems are eliminated in favor of a compact spark generator
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical and chemical systems required for nucleation agent delivery are replaced with an electrical system. The spark generator uses electrical discharges to create nucleation sites, eliminating the need for mechanical storage containers, pumps, and injection mechanisms
3Productivity
If rapid cooling is applied to increase ice making speed, then the productivity is improved, but the supercooling phenomenon increases causing opaque ice
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies preliminary action by using spark discharge to create nucleation sites before complete freezing occurs. The spark generator initiates crystallization at controlled points, guiding the freezing process to prevent supercooling while maintaining rapid ice making speed
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes controlled phase transitions through spark-induced nucleation. The electrical spark provides energy to initiate the liquid-to-solid phase change at specific locations, creating a controlled freezing front that prevents supercooling and ensures transparent ice formation
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 effectively releases supercooling at the initial stage, ensuring transparent ice production without additives, maintaining safety and operational silence, and transferring supercooling release between cells for comprehensive ice transparency.
Implementation Method 1
When supercooling occurs when water is frozen, opaque ice occurs while a phase change occurs rapidly. Supercooling refers to a state in which a phase change does not occur and latent heat is not released at a temperature the freezing point or less.
Implementation Method 2
The most widely used method to reduce the supercooling phenomenon is the addition of a nucleation agent. The nucleation agent can lower the degree of supercooling of the material through effects such as lowering the nucleation barrier and reducing the crystallization time.
Implementation Method 3
a discharge spark generator disposed around one of the first tray and the second tray and including an electrode, and a controller configured to control the discharge spark generator to generate a spark from the electrode
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator according to the present disclosure includes a first tray configured to form a portion of an ice making cell, a second tray configured to form another portion of the ice making cell, a tray temperature sensor configured to sense the temperature of the ice making cell, a discharge spark generator disposed around one of the first tray and the second tray and including an electrode, and a controller configured to control the discharge spark generator to generate a spark from the electrode when it is determined that the water in the ice making cell is supercooled based on the temperature measured by the tray temperature sensor.