Refrigerator and method for controlling same
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigerators struggle to produce ice with uniform transparency regardless of shape, and fail to manage ice making effectively when the transparent ice heater operates abnormally, leading to issues like water retention within the ice.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerator system that controls the heating amount of the transparent ice heater and the cooling power of the cold air supply based on the heat transfer between water in the ice making cell and the storage chamber, adjusting water supply to ensure smooth ice separation and preventing water retention, even when the ice making rate is increased due to heater malfunctions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the heating amount of the transparent ice heater is increased to maintain transparency when water volume is reduced, then ice transparency is improved, but uniform transparency across different ice shapes becomes difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the ice making cell into multiple heating zones with independent temperature control. Different regions of the cell receive different heating amounts based on local requirements, allowing uniform transparency across various ice shapes while maintaining the transparency improvement achieved by increased heating.
2Productivity
If the ice making rate is increased to improve productivity, then ice production efficiency is improved, but water retention within the ice occurs leading to reduced transparency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary heating of the ice making cell before water is introduced and during the early stages of freezing. This pre-heating action prevents rapid solidification that would trap water bubbles, allowing the ice to form with high transparency even at increased production rates.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically adjusts heating parameters and cooling rates during the ice making process. By changing temperature parameters over time rather than maintaining constant conditions, the system achieves both high productivity and high transparency, preventing water retention while maintaining production efficiency.
3Manufacturing precision
If the heating amount is uniformly increased throughout the ice making process, then ice transparency is improved, but energy consumption increases and uniformity across different ice shapes cannot be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies heating selectively to specific zones within the ice making cell rather than uniformly throughout. This localized heating approach maintains transparency improvements while reducing overall energy consumption and enabling adaptation to different ice shapes with varying heating requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses periodic heating cycles rather than continuous heating. Heating is applied in specific phases of the ice making process when it is most effective for transparency, reducing unnecessary energy consumption while maintaining the transparency benefits.
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 system achieves uniform transparency of ice across different shapes by varying the heating and cooling power, ensuring smooth ice separation and preventing water retention, even when the transparent ice heater operates abnormally, thus enhancing user satisfaction.
Implementation Method 1
convection occurs in the water to make transparent ice
Implementation Method 2
a heater for heating a lower portion of water supplied to the ice making plate
Implementation Method 3
the heat transfer amount between water in an ice making cell and cold air in a storage chamber
Implementation Method 4
when solidification proceeds on the surface of the water
Implementation Method 5
When growth of the transparent ice proceeds to reduce a volume of the water within the ice making block, the solidification rate is gradually increased
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator includes: a storage chamber in which food is stored; a cold air supply means for supplying cold air to the storage chamber; a tray forming an ice-making cell; a heater for supplying heat to the tray; and a controller for controlling the heater. The controller turns on the heater in at least a part of a range in which the cold air supply means supplies cold air such that air bubbles dissolved in water inside the ice-making cell can move from ice-generating parts to liquid-state water, thereby generating transparent ice. The controller determines whether or not the heater is functioning abnormally in the ice-making process. If it is determined that the heater is functioning abnormally, the controller supplies water to the ice-making cell by a second amount of water supply, which is smaller than the first amount of water supply, during the next water supply process.