Refrigerator Evaporator Ceiling Layout for Uniform Door Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refrigerators with multiple evaporators installed at the rear surfaces of freezing and cooling chambers face limitations in available capacity and uniform air distribution, leading to inefficient cooling and increased risk of food spoilage, especially for items stored at the front or in door baskets.
Innovation Solution
The evaporators are strategically placed on the inner ceiling surfaces of the freezing and cooling chambers, with fans directing cool air through dedicated channels to ensure uniform distribution and increased capacity by eliminating the need for rear surface installation, allowing deeper storage and direct cooling of door baskets.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of stationary object
If evaporators are installed at the rear surface of the freezing chamber and cooling chamber, then the refrigerating cycle can be implemented, but the available capacity of the chambers is decreased and the depth is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The evaporators are relocated from the rear surface (horizontal dimension) to the inner ceiling surface (vertical dimension) of the chambers. This dimensional change allows the evaporators to be positioned above the food storage area, maximizing the usable depth and volume of the chambers while maintaining effective cooling coverage.
2Reliability
If evaporators are installed at the rear surface of the chambers, then the refrigerating cycle structure is maintained, but the cool air distribution becomes non-uniform causing food at the front surface and door basket to rot easily
Solution Approach 1:
Cool air channels are introduced as intermediary structures that transport cool air from the evaporators (located at the ceiling) to various regions of the chambers including the front surface and door basket areas. This intermediary system ensures uniform cool air distribution throughout the chamber, preventing food spoilage in previously underserved areas.
3Volume of stationary object
If evaporators are installed at the rear surface, then the basic cooling function is achieved, but the chamber depth is limited reducing storage capability
Solution Approach 1:
By moving the evaporators to the ceiling surface, the horizontal rear surface area is freed up, allowing the chamber depth to be extended forward. This creates additional storage space while the evaporators continue to cool the chamber through the cool air channels distributed throughout the space.
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 configuration enhances the available capacity of both chambers, ensures uniform cooling, and maintains food freshness by eliminating temperature differences between the chambers and door baskets, enabling the storage of a larger quantity of items in a fresh condition.
Implementation Method 1
one or more evaporators installed at the first cool air channel of the refrigerator body, for generating cool air
Implementation Method 2
one or more fans installed at the first cool air channel, for supplying the cool air generated from the evaporator to the corresponding inner space
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A refrigerator is disclosed. A freezing chamber evaporator and a cooling chamber evaporator are installed at an inner side of a ceiling surface of a freezing chamber and a cooling chamber. Accordingly, the freezing chamber and the cooling chamber have deeper depths thus to have large available capacities, thereby freshly receiving a large amount of food items. Furthermore, a cool air channel is formed at the freezing chamber door and the cooling chamber door so as to be connected to a cool air channel of the ceiling surface. Accordingly, a temperature difference between an inner space and a door basket does not occur, thereby storing food or beverage items received in the door basket in a fresh condition.