Refrigerator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Refrigerators face issues with maintaining cooling during power outages, as existing solutions with cold storage materials degrade over time, leading to inefficient cooling and potential food spoilage.
Innovation Solution
Integration of an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) device that provides auxiliary power and a control system to differentiate between commercial and auxiliary power using voltage sensors and harmonic wave analysis, allowing the refrigerator to switch to a power-saving mode and maintain cooling performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a cold storage material is provided to maintain cooling during power outage, then cooling performance is temporarily maintained, but the cooling performance continuously lowers and cooling efficiency is degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The refrigerator performs preliminary actions by detecting power outage conditions in advance and pre-charging the cold storage material (cold plate) to maximum cooling capacity before power is lost. The control system activates the compressor and circulates refrigerant to the cold storage material beforehand, ensuring it is fully charged with cold energy ready to maintain cooling during the power outage period.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system continuously monitors temperature sensors in both the refrigerating and freezing compartments, comparing actual temperatures against preset thresholds. When temperature rises during power outage, the system provides feedback and adjusts the operation of the cold storage material and refrigerant circulation to maintain optimal cooling performance throughout the outage period.
2Reliability
If the refrigerator operates with auxiliary power during power outage, then continuous operation is achieved, but power consumption must be reduced to match limited auxiliary power capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The refrigerator implements partial action by selectively operating only critical components during auxiliary power mode. The control system prioritizes essential cooling functions and disables non-essential features such as lighting, display, and defrost heating, thereby reducing overall power consumption to match the limited capacity of the auxiliary power supply while maintaining continuous operation of the compressor and refrigerant circulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters by adjusting compressor speed, refrigerant flow rate, and temperature setpoints based on power availability. During auxiliary power operation, the control system modifies these parameters to reduce energy consumption, allowing the refrigerator to operate continuously within the constrained power supply capacity rather than shutting down.
3Measurement precision
If voltage sensor and harmonic wave analysis are used to determine power source, then accurate power source identification is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The refrigerator replaces complex mechanical or electronic power source switching mechanisms with an intelligent control system that uses voltage sensing and harmonic wave analysis. The control unit processes electrical signal characteristics (voltage levels and third harmonic wave amplitudes) to accurately identify whether commercial or auxiliary power is supplied, eliminating the need for complex physical switching hardware and reducing overall device complexity while maintaining high measurement precision.
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a power input part through which power is input from a UPS device connected to a commercial power source and an auxiliary power source; a voltage sensor configured to sense a voltage of the power input through the power input part; and a control part configured to analyze a voltage signal sensed by the voltage sensor and to determine whether the input power is commercial power or auxiliary power.