Refrigerator and method of controlling the same
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigerator control methods struggle to maintain a storage space at a constant temperature, leading to significant temperature variations that affect food freshness and increase power consumption and noise due to frequent cooling device activation.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for controlling a refrigerator that uses a controller to adjust the cooling device output based on representative temperatures and convergence criteria, ensuring the storage space remains within a predefined temperature range by minimizing frequent on-off cycles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the cooling device operates frequently to maintain storage space temperature, then the temperature control reliability is improved, but the power consumption and noise increase
Solution Approach 1:
The controller predicts future temperature trends based on historical temperature data and pre-adjusts the cooling device operation before the temperature deviates from the reference range. This preliminary action prevents frequent on-off cycles by proactively maintaining temperature stability, thereby reducing power consumption while ensuring temperature control reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller continuously monitors storage space temperature and uses feedback from temperature sensors to dynamically adjust cooling device operation. By implementing intelligent feedback control that considers temperature trends and patterns, the system optimizes cooling cycles to maintain reliable temperature control while minimizing unnecessary operation and power consumption.
2Reliability
If the cooling device operates frequently to maintain storage space temperature, then the temperature control reliability is improved, but the noise increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller predicts future temperature deviations and pre-adjusts the cooling device operation accordingly. This preliminary intervention maintains temperature stability without requiring frequent on-off cycles, thereby reducing noise generation while ensuring reliable temperature control throughout the storage space.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors temperature and uses intelligent feedback control to optimize cooling device operation. By analyzing temperature trends and patterns, the controller minimizes frequent start-stop operations that generate noise, while maintaining reliable temperature control through optimized cooling cycles.
3Ease of operation
If the cooling output is determined by average output, then the control simplicity is improved, but the temperature control precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The controller uses real-time temperature feedback from sensors to dynamically determine cooling output levels. Instead of relying solely on average output calculations, the system adjusts cooling power based on current temperature deviations and trends, achieving precise temperature control while maintaining relatively simple control logic through automated feedback mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling device output is dynamically adjusted based on real-time temperature conditions rather than using fixed average values. The controller modifies cooling power levels adaptively according to temperature deviations from the reference range, enabling precise temperature control while keeping the control system relatively simple through automated dynamic adjustment.
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 approach maintains consistent storage temperatures, improving food freshness, reducing noise, and minimizing power consumption by continuous operation of the cooling device.
Implementation Method 1
a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the storage space
Implementation Method 2
a cooling device configured to operate to cool the storage space
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4
AI summary
According to the present disclosure, a method for controlling a refrigerator includes operating a cooling device at a previously-determined output for cooling a storage space; measuring, by a temperature sensor, a temperature of the storage space in unit times; determining a representative temperature of the storage space based on the temperature measured by the temperature sensor, and determining whether the determined representative temperature of the storage space falls within a convergence temperature range, when an output change time is reached after the output of the cooling device is previously determined; maintaining the output of the cooling device or determining the output of the cooling device according to one of a plurality of methods including a first method and a second method when the representative temperature of the storage space falls within the convergence temperature range, and determining the output of the cooling device according to the second method when the representative temperature of the storage space is out of the convergence temperature range; and operating the cooling device at the determined output.