Refrigerant Valve Timing Control for Uniform Refrigerator Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refrigerators maintain a fixed opening time rate for refrigerant valves across different storage chambers, leading to refrigerant concentration and temperature deviations when modes like Kimchi and freezing chambers are used, resulting in refrigerant shortage and uneven temperature distribution.
Innovation Solution
A controller adjusts the opening time rate of refrigerant valves based on the mode of each storage chamber, allowing for dynamic control of refrigerant distribution according to predetermined temperatures, ensuring uniform temperature distribution by alternately opening and closing valve ports.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the opening time rate of the refrigerant valve is fixed for each storage chamber, then the valve operation is simple and reliable, but refrigerant concentration occurs and temperature distribution becomes uneven when storage chamber modes change
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the opening time rate of the refrigerant valve variable rather than fixed. The controller dynamically adjusts the opening time rate based on the detected storage chamber mode (freezing or refrigeration), allowing the system to adapt to different thermal requirements and prevent refrigerant concentration while maintaining uniform temperature distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of opening time rate from a constant value to a variable parameter that depends on storage chamber mode. When a freezing chamber is detected, the opening time rate is reduced to prevent refrigerant concentration; when refrigeration mode is detected, the opening time rate is increased to ensure adequate refrigerant supply, thus resolving the temperature distribution issue.
2Quantity of substance
If the opening time rate is increased for freezing chambers to prevent refrigerant shortage, then refrigerant supply is sufficient, but temperature control precision decreases and energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the opening time rate parameter based on storage chamber mode to achieve the minimum necessary refrigerant supply. For freezing chambers, a lower opening time rate (30-50%) is used compared to refrigeration chambers (70-90%), preventing refrigerant concentration while avoiding excessive energy consumption associated with over-supplying refrigerant.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by providing just enough refrigerant supply for each storage chamber mode rather than excessive supply. For freezing chambers, partial refrigerant supply is sufficient due to the lower temperature requirement, and the system adjusts the opening time rate accordingly to avoid the energy waste that would result from excessive refrigerant supply.
3Device complexity
If the refrigerant valve operates with fixed opening times, then the control system is simple, but it cannot adapt to different storage chamber modes leading to temperature control inaccuracies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic control where the opening time rate is adjusted based on detected storage chamber modes. The controller detects whether each chamber is operating in freezing or refrigeration mode and dynamically modifies the valve opening time rate accordingly, enabling the system to adapt to different modes while maintaining relatively simple control logic.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback control by detecting the storage chamber mode and using this information to adjust the opening time rate. The controller receives feedback about the chamber mode (freezing or refrigeration) and automatically adjusts the refrigerant valve operation to match the required thermal conditions, improving adaptability without significantly increasing system complexity.
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 prevents refrigerant concentration, reduces temperature deviations, and ensures uniform temperature distribution across storage chambers by dynamically adjusting the refrigerant supply based on chamber modes, thereby maintaining optimal refrigeration conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a refrigerant is compressed into a high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant by a compressor
Implementation Method 2
the high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant is condensed into a room-temperature and high-pressure liquid refrigerant by a condenser
Implementation Method 3
the room-temperature and high-pressure liquid refrigerant is supplied to an evaporator, disposed around a storage chamber, where the refrigerant is evaporated to cool the storage chamber
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator having a valve to control the supply of a refrigerant to a plurality of storage chambers and a control method of the same. An opening time rate of the valve is changed based on modes of the storage chambers to control the amount of the refrigerant supplied to the storage chambers, thereby avoiding concentration of the refrigerant in one of the storage chambers and thus preventing refrigerant shortage in the other storage chambers. Also, left and right temperature deviation of each storage chamber is reduced, thereby achieving uniform temperature distribution of each storage chamber.