Refrigerator Icemaker Secondary Cooling Loop for Faster Freezing
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Solution Overview
Problem
In bottom freezer refrigerators, the existing icemaker design faces challenges such as slow ice production and temperature reduction in the fresh food compartment due to limited cold air volume and temperature, requiring complex air ducts and inefficient ice delivery through the fresh food section door.
Innovation Solution
A secondary loop cooling system with a heat exchanger and medium storage tank, independent of the freezer compartment cooling system, is used to cool a propylene glycol and water mixture, which is then pumped through an ice-forming device with a heat exchanger to rapidly freeze water in an icemaker mold, allowing ice production independent of fresh food compartment air flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If cold air is pumped within the interior channel of the door of the fresh food section to the icemaker, then ice can be formed, but the ice production rate is slow due to limitations on volume and temperature of cold air
Solution Approach 1:
A secondary cooling loop with coolant (propylene glycol and water mixture) is introduced as an intermediary medium to transfer thermal energy from the evaporator to the icemaker mold. This mediator enables efficient heat transfer without relying on direct air flow, resolving the contradiction between achieving sufficient cooling temperature and maintaining high ice production rate.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the pneumatic system (air pumping) with a hydraulic system (liquid coolant circulation). The coolant flows through tubing in close proximity to the mold, providing more efficient and controllable heat transfer compared to air flow, thereby enabling faster ice production without compromising temperature control.
2Productivity
If cold air is pumped to the fresh food compartment during ice production, then ice can be formed, but the temperature of the fresh food compartment drops below the set point
Solution Approach 1:
The secondary cooling loop acts as an isolated intermediary system that extracts cooling capacity from the evaporator without directly impacting the fresh food compartment air temperature. The coolant circulates in a closed loop, absorbing heat at the evaporator and releasing it at the mold, thereby enabling ice production while maintaining stable fresh food compartment temperature.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system is segmented into two independent loops: the primary loop that maintains fresh food compartment temperature and the secondary loop that provides cooling to the icemaker. This segmentation allows each loop to operate independently, enabling ice production without compromising the temperature stability of the fresh food compartment.
3Productivity
If a secondary loop cooling system is used to rapidly freeze water in the icemaker mold, then ice production rate increases, but the system complexity increases with additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The secondary cooling loop components (pump, tubing, coolant reservoir) serve multiple functions: they provide cooling to the icemaker mold, maintains stable operation during varying conditions, and can be integrated with the existing evaporator system. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by delivering superior ice production performance and system reliability.
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 solution enables faster ice production and maintains the fresh food compartment temperature, overcoming limitations of existing designs by decoupling ice production from fresh food compartment air flow and temperature, resulting in improved ice production rates and compartment temperature control.
Implementation Method 1
a first heat exchanger configured to have a medium flow there through, the first heat exchanger being in thermal communication with the mold to reduce the temperature of the mold below a predetermined temperature
Implementation Method 2
the first heat exchanger is in thermal communication with the mold to reduce the temperature of the mold below a predetermined temperature
Data Source
AI summary
An icemaker having a mold comprising at least one cavity and a cooling system. The cooling system has a first heat exchanger configured to have a medium flow there through. The first heat exchanger is in thermal communication with the mold to reduce the temperature of the mold below a predetermined temperature.