Refrigerator and control method therefor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigerators face challenges in controlling supercooling during ice making, leading to opaque ice due to rapid phase changes, which is unsuitable for food and beverage applications, and the use of nucleation agents poses health risks and logistical issues.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerator system with a tray assembly, cooler, heater, and controller that controls temperature and water supply to prevent supercooling, using a heater to guide bubble movement and enhance transparency by positioning components to facilitate transparent ice formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If water is frozen rapidly in conventional refrigerators, then ice making speed is improved, but supercooling occurs causing opaque ice
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-cooling the tray to a temperature below the freezing point of water before water is supplied. This preliminary cooling prepares the tray to immediately freeze water upon contact, preventing supercooling while maintaining rapid ice making speed. The tray is cooled to a specific temperature range (-10°C to -20°C) before water supply to ensure controlled freezing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating different temperature zones within the ice making cell. The tray surface is maintained at a specific temperature range while the ice making cell environment is kept at a lower temperature. This local temperature differentiation allows rapid freezing at the water-tray interface while preventing excessive supercooling in the bulk water.
2Manufacturing precision
If nucleation agents are added to prevent supercooling, then ice transparency is improved, but health safety and operational complexity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the taking out principle by completely removing nucleation agents from the ice making system. Instead of using chemical additives, the invention relies on physical methods (controlled tray temperature and bubble removal) to prevent supercooling. This extraction of harmful substances ensures food safety while achieving transparent ice through purely physical means.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (heater and bubble removal system) to mediate the freezing process. The heater removes air bubbles that cause opacity, and the controlled temperature gradient acts as an intermediary to manage heat transfer during freezing. This intermediary approach achieves transparent ice without requiring nucleation agents.
3Manufacturing precision
If nucleation agents are used to control supercooling, then ice transparency is improved, but device complexity and operational hassle increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the taking out principle by completely removing nucleation agents and their associated storage and injection systems from the refrigerator. The invention achieves transparent ice through a simplified system consisting of a tray, heater, and bubble removal mechanism, eliminating the complexity of chemical agent management.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies self-service by designing a system where the tray and heater automatically manage the freezing process without external intervention. The heater automatically removes bubbles during freezing, and the controlled temperature gradient self-regulates to prevent supercooling, eliminating the need for manual nucleation agent injection and storage.
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 produces transparent ice by managing supercooling and bubble movement, ensuring cleaner and safer ice production suitable for food and beverages.
Implementation Method 1
an ice making cell in which water is phase-changed into ice by cold
Implementation Method 2
a cooler configured to supply cold to the storage chamber
Implementation Method 3
a heater configured to be positioned adjacent to at least one of the first tray and the second tray... generate transparent ice
Implementation Method 4
control the heater so that bubbles dissolved in the water inside the ice making cell move from an ice-generating portion to liquid water
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator according 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 and capable of moving relative to the first tray, a driver configured to move the second tray, a temperature sensor configured to sense the temperature of water or ice in the ice making cell, and a controller configured to control the driver, in which when it is determined that the water in the ice making cell is in a supercooled state based on the temperature measured by the tray temperature sensor, the controller may operate the driver to move the second tray.