Refrigerator Multi-Duct Design for Uniform Temperature Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refrigerators face challenges in uniformly distributing cold air across storage compartments, leading to temperature inconsistencies and potential food spoilage, especially when an ice-maker is integrated into the door, causing localized over-chilling.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a multi-duct system with strategically arranged outlet holes and a fan configuration that supplies more cold air to the inner door compartment than the ice-maker compartment, along with a filter module for air purification, ensures uniform temperature distribution by optimizing air flow and reducing cold air supply to the ice-maker.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If an ice-maker is installed in the door compartment, then ice production convenience is improved, but localized over-chilling and temperature inconsistency occur in the storage compartment
Solution Approach 1:
The door compartment is divided into separate zones: an ice-maker compartment and a storage compartment with independent temperature control. This segmentation allows the ice-maker to operate independently without causing over-chilling in the food storage area, resolving the temperature uniformity issue while maintaining ice production convenience
Solution Approach 2:
Different temperature conditions are provided for different zones within the door compartment. The ice-maker compartment maintains lower temperatures for ice production, while the storage compartment maintains appropriate temperatures for food storage. This local quality differentiation prevents temperature inconsistency while preserving the functionality of both zones
2Ease of operation
If cold air is supplied to the door compartment, then the ice-maker can operate, but excessive cold air supply causes over-chilling in the storage compartment
Solution Approach 1:
The door compartment is segmented into an ice-maker compartment and a storage compartment with separate air supply control. Cold air is selectively supplied to the ice-maker zone without excessive supply to the storage zone, preventing over-chilling while maintaining ice-maker operation
Solution Approach 2:
Different air supply quantities are provided to different zones within the door compartment. The ice-maker compartment receives sufficient cold air for operation, while the storage compartment receives controlled cold air supply to prevent over-chilling, thus eliminating the harmful effect while preserving functionality
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 solution maintains a consistent and uniform temperature across the storage compartment, reducing the risk of food spoilage and preventing excessive chilling near the ice-maker, while ensuring efficient cold air distribution and air purification.
Implementation Method 1
an evaporator for absorbing external heat while converting the low-temperature-and-high-pressure liquid refrigerant heat-changed in the condenser into gaseous refrigerant
Implementation Method 2
by using the characteristic of refrigerant that absorbs external heat while getting converted into a gaseous refrigerant from a low-pressure liquid refrigerant
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator comprising a cabinet comprising a storage compartment provided therein; a first door rotatably coupled to the cabinet to open and close the storage compartment; an outer door rotatable opening and closing an opening that is provided in the inner door; and a multi-duct provided in an inner wall of the storage compartment and comprising: a first duct comprising a first upper outlet hole a first middle outlet hole and a first lower outlet hole for exhausting cold air toward the first door of the storage compartment; and a second duct comprising a second upper outlet hole, a second middle outlet hole and a second lower outlet hole for exhausting cold air toward the inner door of the storage compartment, wherein an inlet hole for sucking cold air to the first duct is smaller than an inlet hole for sucking cold air to the second duct.