Refrigerator RF Cavity Control for Frozen Food Freshness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refrigerators face challenges in maintaining the freshness of frozen goods due to temperature fluctuations and the inability to efficiently thaw frozen meat and fish without separate utensils, as well as limitations in supercooling apparatuses that cause temperature instability and inadequate even temperature distribution.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerator equipped with an RF output device that outputs RF signals to control temperature fluctuations by operating in distinct sections to maintain freshness, using a controller to manage the RF signal's power and duration based on the type of goods, and integrating a fan to supply cold air, ensuring consistent temperature within a predetermined range.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a heater is used to increase temperature in a supercooling apparatus, then the temperature of the load can be increased, but the temperature change is repeated and not evenly distributed, causing food storage period to be short
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical heater-based temperature control system with an electromagnetic field-based system. The electromagnetic generator produces a magnetic field that induces eddy currents in the conductive food items, generating heat internally through electromagnetic induction rather than external heating. This substitution eliminates the temperature fluctuation problem caused by periodic heater operation and achieves uniform temperature distribution throughout the food items.
Solution Approach 2:
The electromagnetic generator produces a time-varying magnetic field that induces oscillating eddy currents in the food items. This electromagnetic vibration at the molecular level generates uniform internal heating throughout the conductive food items, ensuring even temperature distribution and avoiding the localized heating problems of conventional heater systems.
2Temperature
If a heater is used to increase temperature, then temperature rise occurs, but the temperature rise occurs only around the heater and not evenly in the load
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical heater-based temperature control system with an electromagnetic field-based system. The electromagnetic generator produces a magnetic field that induces eddy currents in the conductive food items, generating heat internally through electromagnetic induction rather than external heating. This substitution eliminates the temperature fluctuation problem caused by periodic heater operation and achieves uniform temperature distribution throughout the food items.
Solution Approach 2:
The electromagnetic generator creates a magnetic field that penetrates the entire cavity, inducing eddy currents uniformly throughout all conductive food items simultaneously. This ensures that each food item generates heat uniformly within itself, achieving local temperature uniformity throughout the load rather than localized heating around a heater element.
3Temperature
If conventional freezing is used, then frozen storage is achieved, but separate thawing operation through another utensil is required
Solution Approach 1:
The electromagnetic generator serves multiple functions: it can generate electromagnetic fields for uniform heating/thawing of frozen items, and the system can operate in different modes (heating mode, cooling mode, or combined mode) to perform both freezing and thawing operations within the same device. This eliminates the need for separate thawing utensils and provides universal temperature control capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses periodic electromagnetic field generation to control the heating process. By adjusting the duty cycle and frequency of the electromagnetic generator, the system can provide controlled heating for thawing operations while maintaining the ability to freeze items, offering flexible periodic action for different operational requirements.
4Temperature
If RF signal is output to goods in cavity, then temperature control and freshness maintenance is improved, but power consumption of compressor increases
Solution Approach 1:
The electromagnetic generator acts as an intermediary device that directly heats or cools the food items through electromagnetic induction, bypassing the need for the compressor to maintain precise temperature control. This intermediary heating/cooling mechanism reduces the workload on the compressor, thereby reducing its power consumption while improving temperature control precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operating parameters of the electromagnetic generator (frequency, power level, duty cycle) to optimize the balance between temperature control precision and energy consumption. By adjusting these parameters, the system can achieve effective temperature control with minimal compressor intervention, reducing overall power consumption.
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 RF signal enhances the freezing process while maintaining food freshness by actively managing water molecule movement, allowing for efficient freezing and thawing without separate utensils, and reducing power consumption by optimizing compressor operation.
Implementation Method 1
an RF output device disposed in the cooling chamber, and for outputting an RF signal into a cavity in the cooling chamber
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator comprising a fan to operate for supplying cold air to a cooling chamber; an RF output device disposed in the cooling chamber, and for outputting an RF signal into a cavity in the cooling chamber; and a controller for controlling the RF output device, wherein the controller is configured to output the RF signal to goods in the cavity, and to operate in a first section in which temperature of the goods falls, and a second section in which the temperature of the increases after the first section and maintains, wherein when the RF output device operates, a temperature of the cavity is higher than a temperature of other area in the cooling chamber. Accordingly, the freshness of the goods in the refrigerator can be maintained by using the RF signal.