Phase Change Thermal Battery for Refrigerator Door Ice Making
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refrigerators with ice makers in the fresh food compartment reduce storage space and increase energy consumption by using cold air from the freezer compartment for ice making, leading to inefficiencies and potential air leakage.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerator design featuring a thermoelectric cooler and thermal battery using phase change materials to cool the ice maker, eliminating the need for air from the freezer compartment and optimizing energy use by absorbing and recharging heat through a cooling loop.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the ice maker is positioned within the fresh food compartment, then the ice making function is integrated conveniently, but the available storage space within the fresh food compartment is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The ice maker is relocated from the interior of the fresh food compartment to the door structure, utilizing the vertical space on the door rather than consuming horizontal storage space within the compartment. This dimensional relocation preserves storage volume while maintaining convenient ice making access.
2Productivity
If cold air from the freezer compartment is directed to cool the water in the ice maker, then the ice making process is enabled, but the energy consumption of the refrigerator is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The ice making cooling system is extracted from the centralized freezer compartment air circulation system and implemented as an independent thermoelectric cooling unit on the door. This extraction eliminates the need to divert cold air from the freezer, reducing the cooling loop's energy burden and eliminating fan energy consumption for air delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical air circulation system (fan-driven cold air delivery) is replaced with an electric thermoelectric cooler that directly cools the ice maker water reservoir. This substitution eliminates the need for mechanical air movement while achieving the same cooling objective with different energy characteristics.
3Productivity
If a fan is used to direct cooled air to the ice maker, then the cooling delivery is achieved, but the cooled air may warm or escape creating the need for even more cooled air
Solution Approach 1:
The fan-driven air delivery system is replaced with a thermoelectric cooler that provides direct contact cooling to the water in the ice maker. This substitution eliminates the intermediate air delivery step, preventing cooling air from warming or escaping, and eliminating the associated energy losses.
4Productivity
If the cooling loop takes more heat from the freezer compartment, then enough cold air is created for both the freezer compartment and ice maker, but the energy consumption is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The ice making cooling function is extracted from the main freezer compartment cooling loop and implemented as a separate thermoelectric cooling system. This extraction allows the freezer compartment cooling loop to operate at its optimal, lower energy consumption level while the ice maker receives dedicated cooling from the thermoelectric unit, reducing total system energy consumption.
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 allows for more efficient ice production with reduced energy consumption and increased storage space by using thermoelectric cooling and phase change materials to manage heat, enhancing the overall performance and efficiency of the refrigerator.
Implementation Method 1
A refrigerator design featuring a thermoelectric cooler and thermal battery using phase change materials to cool the ice maker
Implementation Method 2
thermal battery using phase change materials to cool the ice maker, eliminating the need for air from the freezer compartment and optimizing energy use by absorbing and recharging heat through a cooling loop
Data Source
AI summary
A bottom mount refrigerator is provided including a thermal battery or phase change material positioned within the refrigerator or freezer in order to increase energy efficiency and compartment sizes of the refrigerator. The thermal battery can be used with an ice maker to aid in removing heat from the water in the ice maker to produce ice. Furthermore, the phase change material or thermal battery may be used with a thermoelectric cooler to aid in ice production. The phase change material may be tuned to various temperatures according to the desired use of the phase change material, as well as the location of the thermal battery or phase change material. Other embodiments include positioning the phase change material in the liner of the compartments or in thermal storage units in order to further increase the energy efficiency of the refrigerator.