Refrigerator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Most refrigerators lack humidity regulation, leading to fluctuating humidity levels that are unsuitable for storing dry goods, which can become damp in the refrigeration compartment or excessively cold in the freezer compartment.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerator design incorporating a drying compartment with an air intake channel connecting it to the freezer and refrigeration compartments, featuring a sealing device to control air flow and an air guiding device to dehumidify, ensuring a stable humidity environment for dry goods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If dry goods are placed in the refrigeration compartment, then they are easily stored, but the high humidity causes them to become damp
Solution Approach 1:
The refrigeration compartment is segmented into a regular refrigeration space and a separate drying compartment. The drying compartment has independent humidity control through a dehumidification channel that extracts moisture, creating a low-humidity environment suitable for dry goods while maintaining the refrigeration function in other areas.
Solution Approach 2:
A drying agent (such as calcium chloride or silica gel) is introduced as an intermediary substance in the drying compartment to actively absorb moisture. The dehumidification channel allows moisture to be transported from the drying compartment to the regular refrigeration compartment where it can be condensed and removed, effectively controlling humidity without affecting storage convenience.
2Temperature
If dry goods are placed in the freezer compartment, then the low temperature environment is provided, but the extremely low temperature makes them unsuitable for direct consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The storage system is segmented into three distinct temperature zones: the freezer compartment for frozen storage, the regular refrigeration compartment for chilled storage, and the drying compartment for low-temperature dehumidified storage. This segmentation allows dry goods to be stored at moderate temperatures (above freezing) with controlled humidity, making them suitable for direct consumption while still providing cold preservation.
3Productivity
If the compressor in the freezer compartment starts or stops, then the cooling cycle operates, but the humidity fluctuation range becomes extremely wide
Solution Approach 1:
A humidity sensor is installed in the drying compartment to detect humidity levels in real-time. When humidity exceeds a preset threshold, the sensor triggers the dehumidification channel to activate, transporting moisture out of the drying compartment. When humidity is sufficient, the system stops dehumidification, maintaining stable humidity levels regardless of freezer compressor cycling.
Solution Approach 2:
The dehumidification channel acts as an intermediary moisture transport system that decouples the humidity control in the drying compartment from the temperature fluctuations caused by freezer compressor operation. Moisture is actively managed through this channel rather than passively responding to temperature changes, stabilizing humidity independently of the cooling cycle.
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 relative humidity in the drying compartment, allowing for the preservation of dry goods by maintaining a stable and low-temperature dehumidified environment, preventing moisture backflow and ensuring the drying compartment remains sealed when not in use.
Implementation Method 1
The first baffle is connected with the first elastic member to seal against the outlet of the air intake channel under the action of an elastic force of the first elastic member
Implementation Method 2
The air guiding device is arranged on the air intake channel to guide the air in the freezer compartment to the drying compartment
Implementation Method 3
The second sealing device is arranged at the air outlet and is configured to be switched between a state in which the air outlet is sealed by the second sealing device
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a refrigerator, including a freezer compartment, a refrigeration compartment, a drying compartment, an air intake channel, a first sealing apparatus, and a second sealing apparatus. The drying compartment is independently provided within the refrigeration compartment in a sealed manner. The drying compartment is provided with an air inlet and an air outlet. The first sealing apparatus is provided in the drying compartment and can switch between sealing an air outlet of the air intake channel and leaving the air outlet of the air intake channel open. The second sealing apparatus is provided at the air outlet and can switch between sealing the air outlet and leaving the air outlet open. Cooled air in the freezer compartment is introduced into the drying compartment and then mixed with air in the drying compartment, a rise in the temperature of the cooled air allows the relative humidity in the drying compartment to be reduced.