Ice Making Unit Layout for Direct Cooling and Easy Replacement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refrigerators with ice making compartments face challenges in achieving optimal cooling performance and ease of maintenance, particularly in the ice making unit, which affects efficiency and reliability.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates an ice making unit with a refrigerant pipe that undergoes direct heat exchange with air in the compartment, enhanced by heat-exchanging ribs and a fan for improved air circulation, along with a drainage duct system for efficient air flow and easy installation and replacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If cold air is supplied to the ice making compartment through forced convection from an evaporator, then the ice making compartment can be cooled, but the cooling performance is insufficient and energy loss occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the refrigerant pipe from the traditional evaporator-based indirect cooling system and places it directly in the ice making compartment. This extraction allows the refrigerant to directly cool the compartment air, eliminating the need for intermediate heat exchange through an evaporator and improving both cooling performance and energy efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces the refrigerant pipe as a direct intermediary between the refrigeration cycle and the ice making compartment air. Instead of using cold air as an intermediary (which causes energy loss), the refrigerant directly contacts and cools the compartment air, creating a more efficient heat transfer pathway.
2Ease of operation
If the ice making unit is integrated into the refrigerator structure, then cooling function is provided, but replacement and repair become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the ice making unit into a separate, modular component that can be independently removed from the refrigerator. The refrigerant pipe is designed to be detachably connected, allowing the ice making unit to be separated into discrete parts for easy replacement and repair while maintaining system functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces dynamic connectivity to the ice making unit through detachable connections. The refrigerant pipe can be connected or disconnected as needed, transforming the ice making unit from a fixed, permanent installation to a dynamic, replaceable component that can be easily maintained or upgraded.
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 enhances cooling performance, reduces energy loss, and simplifies the assembly and maintenance of the ice making unit, thereby improving the overall efficiency and usability of the refrigerator.
Implementation Method 1
air present in the ice making compartment is cooled while undergoing direct heat exchange with at least one of the ice making unit and the refrigerant pipe
Implementation Method 2
a fan for the ice making compartment to circulate the air of the ice making compartment and the air comes into contact with at least one of the ice making unit and the refrigerant pipe, thereby promoting the heat exchange
Implementation Method 3
The ice making unit may include at least one heat-exchanging rib to promote the heat exchange with the air of the ice making compartment
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator includes a body provided with a freezing compartment, a refrigerating compartment and an ice making compartment provided in the refrigerating compartment; an ice making unit including an ice making tray to produce ice in the ice making compartment; an ice storage container to store the ice made by the ice making unit; and a refrigerant pipe protruding from an interior wall of the body to supply cooling energy to the ice making compartment. A drainage duct is disposed between the ice making unit and the ice storage container adapted to prevent water drops from the ice making unit falling into the ice storage container. The drainage duct include at least one fixer configured to push the refrigerant pipe to a lower surface of the ice making tray to contact the refrigerant pipe with the lower surface of the ice making tray.