Refrigerator Cold Air Diffuser for Uniform Intermediate Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Refrigerators lack an effective mechanism for uniformly distributing cold air to intermediate storage compartments, leading to inefficient cooling and potential temperature inconsistencies across different storage areas.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a refrigerator design featuring insulated partition walls, multiple evaporators, a cold air supplier with a circulating fan and regulator, and a curved diffuser to ensure uniform cold air distribution to an intermediate storage compartment, along with a cold air return system to optimize cooling efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If cold air is supplied to the intermediate storage compartment without a diffuser, then the cold air supply structure is simple, but the cold air distribution is non-uniform
Solution Approach 1:
A curved diffuser structure is installed at the cold air inlet of the intermediate storage compartment. The diffuser has a curved cross-section that gradually expands from the cold air supply duct toward the compartment interior, guiding cold air to flow smoothly and uniformly across the storage space rather than creating concentrated or turbulent flow patterns.
2Productivity
If cold air is directly recirculated from the intermediate storage compartment back to the evaporator, then the cooling cycle is efficient, but dewing and frosting occur
Solution Approach 1:
An intermediate passage is introduced between the cold air inlet and the evaporator return duct. This intermediate passage allows warm air from the upper storage compartment to mix with the cold air returning from the intermediate storage compartment, raising the temperature of the recirculated air above the dew point and preventing condensation and frosting on the evaporator surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
Different air flow paths are created for different purposes: cold air is supplied uniformly to the intermediate storage compartment through the curved diffuser, while the return air path is modified to prevent harmful condensation. The local air quality (temperature and humidity) is controlled differently in the supply path versus the return path.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple evaporators are used for different storage compartments, then each compartment can be cooled independently, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into multiple independent evaporators, each responsible for a specific storage compartment. The first evaporator serves the upper storage compartment while the second evaporator serves the intermediate storage compartment, allowing independent temperature control and cooling management for each compartment without interfering with the other.
Solution Approach 2:
The second evaporator serves dual purposes: it cools the intermediate storage compartment directly while also providing cold air to the cold air supplier, which then distributes cold air to the intermediate storage compartment through the diffuser system. This multi-functional arrangement optimizes the use of cooling capacity.
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 design enhances the uniform distribution of cold air within the intermediate storage compartment, maintaining optimal temperatures and improving energy efficiency by preventing direct air recirculation and addressing issues of dewing and frosting.
Implementation Method 1
a circulating fan to blow cold air to an outlet provided at a rear wall of the intermediate storage compartment
Implementation Method 2
a cold air diffuser formed at a top of the intermediate storage compartment, the cold air diffuser having a curved structure to guide the cold air discharged through the cold air supplier
Implementation Method 3
a first evaporator to supply cold air to the upper storage compartment, a second evaporator to supply cold air to the lower storage compartment
Implementation Method 4
an upper storage compartment, an intermediate storage compartment, and a lower storage compartment, which are partitioned from one another by insulated partition walls
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator having an intermediate storage compartment, which has an improved structure of a return flow passage to return cold air from the intermediate storage compartment. The refrigerator includes a first evaporator to supply cold air to an upper storage compartment, a second evaporator to supply cold air to a lower storage compartment, a cold air supply duct to supply cold air generated at the second evaporator to an intermediate storage compartment, and a curved section formed at a top of the intermediate storage compartment to uniformly distribute the cold air supplied via the cold air supply duct in the intermediate storage compartment. The refrigerator also includes a cold air return duct to return cold air from the intermediate storage compartment, and an ice-making cold air return duct to return cold air from an ice maker. The cold air return duct is joined with the ice-making cold air return duct.