refrigerator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigerators fail to effectively reduce oxygen content in fresh-preservation chambers during long-distance transportation and storage, limiting the effectiveness of gas atmosphere adjustment technologies.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerator design incorporating a first fresh-preservation chamber, an adsorption tower, a valve, and an air pump, where the air pump pressurizes air and transmits it to the adsorption tower to filter out oxygen, with the residual gas being released back into the chamber, achieving a negative pressure state to enhance fresh preservation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If gas atmosphere adjustment technology is used in refrigerators, then fresh preservation effect is improved, but oxygen content reduction is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs molecular sieve materials with specific pore structures to selectively adsorb oxygen molecules from the air in the fresh-keeping chamber. The porous material's molecular-level pore size allows it to trap oxygen while permitting other gases to pass through, achieving effective oxygen removal and creating an optimized atmosphere for fresh preservation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts oxygen removal parameters by controlling the operation cycles of the first and second adsorption towers, modifying pressure differentials, and regulating gas flow rates. These parameter changes enable precise control over oxygen concentration levels, transforming the atmosphere composition to enhance fresh preservation while avoiding excessive oxygen removal that could harm stored produce.
2Quantity of substance
If adsorption tower is used to filter oxygen, then oxygen content is reduced, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The oxygen removal system is divided into two independent adsorption towers operating in alternating cycles. Each tower functions as a separate module with its own molecular sieve material, allowing the system to process oxygen removal in discrete stages. This segmentation simplifies the design of individual components while achieving the cumulative effect of significant oxygen reduction through coordinated operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs periodic alternating operation between the first and second adsorption towers. While one tower is actively adsorbing oxygen, the other undergoes regeneration or is in standby mode. This periodic action allows continuous oxygen removal without requiring all components to operate simultaneously, reducing peak system complexity and enabling simpler individual tower designs.
3Productivity
If air pump is used to pressurize and transmit air, then oxygen filtration efficiency is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The air pump operates continuously or in extended cycles to maintain constant pressure differential across the molecular sieve materials. This continuous action ensures uninterrupted oxygen adsorption, maximizing filtration efficiency. The system sustains the pressure gradient needed for effective oxygen removal over extended periods, ensuring consistent performance without frequent start-stop cycles that would reduce efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts air pump operation parameters including pressure levels, flow rates, and timing sequences based on real-time conditions in the fresh-keeping chamber. The pump's operational characteristics are modulated to match the adsorption capacity of the molecular sieves and the oxygen generation rate within the chamber, optimizing energy utilization while maintaining effective oxygen removal.
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
The solution effectively reduces oxygen content and maintains a negative pressure state in the fresh-preservation chamber, achieving double fresh-preservation effects by controlling oxygen and pressure, thereby extending the freshness of stored fruits and vegetables.
Implementation Method 1
the air pump is configured to pressurize air in the first fresh-preservation chamber, and transmit the air to the adsorption tower
Implementation Method 2
the adsorption tower is configured to filter out oxygen in the air, the oxygen is discharged from an air outlet of the adsorption tower
Implementation Method 3
the residual gas is released by the adsorption tower, and discharged to the first fresh-preservation chamber
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
Figure 6
AI summary
Disclosed is a refrigerator (100). The refrigerator (100) comprises a first fresh-preservation chamber (110), an adsorption tower (120), a valve (130), and an air pump (140). An air inlet of the air pump (140) is in communication with the first fresh-preservation chamber (110), an air outlet of the air pump (140) is in communication with an air inlet of the adsorption tower (120) by means of an air inlet channel of the valve (130), and the air inlet of the adsorption tower (120) is in communication with the first fresh-preservation chamber (110) by means of an air outlet channel of the valve (130); the air inlet channel of the valve (130) is opened, such that the air pump (140) pressurizes air in the first fresh-preservation chamber (110) to enable the air to be conveyed to the adsorption tower (120), the adsorption tower (120) filters out oxygen in the air, the oxygen is discharged from an air outlet of the adsorption tower (120), and residual gas is adsorbed; and the air inlet channel of the valve (130) is closed, such that the air pump (140) stops pressurizing air and conveying the air to the adsorption tower (120), the adsorption tower (120) releases the residual gas, and the residual gas is discharged to the first fresh-preservation chamber (110) via the air inlet of the adsorption tower (120) and the air outlet channel of the valve (130). The oxygen content of the first fresh-preservation chamber (110) can be reduced, and the fresh-preservation effect is improved.