Icemaker Pressure Chamber for Directed Refrigerator Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing household refrigerators with icemaker units suffer from inefficient cooling due to non-directional and reduced air flow, leading to smaller and irregularly shaped ice cubes, as well as increased evaporation and sublimation, caused by the exposure of the fan and large cross-section of the fan wheel.
Innovation Solution
The icemaker unit incorporates a separate pressure chamber housing the fan wheel, which directs the cooling air flow in a targeted manner under the tray, increasing air volume and pressure, thereby enhancing cooling efficiency and preventing evaporation and sublimation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the fan is completely exposed in the direction of the tray to produce cooling air flow, then the cooling air flow can reach the tray, but the air flow becomes non-directional and pressure is significantly reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The fan assembly is segmented from the tray by introducing a partition wall with a directed opening. This segmentation allows the fan to generate cooling air flow while the partition wall directs the flow in a specific direction toward the tray, preventing non-directional flow and maintaining pressure by restricting the outlet area.
2Power
If the fan wheel has a large cross-section in the direction of the tray, then the fan can generate sufficient cooling capacity, but the pressure of the cooling air flow is significantly reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The partition wall creates a localized opening that concentrates the cooling air flow from the large fan wheel cross-section into a directed stream. This local quality change ensures that while the fan maintains its large cross-section for sufficient cooling capacity, the actual air flow reaching the tray is concentrated and pressurized through the restricted opening.
3Productivity
If cooling air flow flows around the upper side of the tray, then complete air circulation is achieved, but water evaporation increases before freezing
Solution Approach 1:
The partition wall extracts and blocks the harmful flow path that would allow cooling air to circulate around the upper side of the tray. By taking out this unwanted flow path, the invention prevents water evaporation while maintaining effective cooling through the directed opening that channels air flow only where needed - under and around the base of the tray.
4Temperature
If the fan generates non-directional cooling air flow, then the tray can be cooled from all sides, but air volume flow is reduced at specific points
Solution Approach 1:
The partition wall redirects the cooling air flow from a horizontal non-directional pattern to a vertical directed flow that moves upward through the opening and then circulates around the tray. This dimensional change in flow direction ensures that air volume flow is maintained at all critical cooling points, particularly around the base and sides of the tray, while achieving uniform temperature distribution.
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 design results in faster freezing of liquid in the tray, producing larger and more uniformly shaped ice cubes with reduced evaporation and sublimation, improving the overall efficiency of the icemaker unit.
Implementation Method 1
The cold or cooling energy produced by the evaporator and which is released into the surroundings of the evaporator
Implementation Method 2
a cooling device with which a cooling air flow can be generated for cooling the tray. This cooling device comprises an evaporator and a fan
Implementation Method 3
In particular, due to this pressure chamber, an increased pressure of the cooling air flow produced by a fan wheel can be produced before exiting from the pressure chamber in the direction of the tray
Implementation Method 4
These shaping regions are formed for specifying the shape of shaped ice elements that can be produced from liquid poured into the tray
Data Source
AI summary
A household refrigerator has a housing formed with a receiving space. An icemaker unit for dispensing ice is arranged in the receiving space. The icemaker unit has a tray in which shaping regions are formed for specifying a shape of shaped ice elements that are produced from liquid poured into the tray. The icemaker unit has a cooling device with which a cooling air flow is produced for cooling the tray. The cooling device has an evaporator and a fan. A fan wheel of the fan blows the cold produced by the evaporator in a cooling air flow. The fan wheel is arranged in a separate pressure chamber.