Refrigerator Vacuum Insulation Structure to Prevent Outer-Case Dewing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refrigerators require thick insulating materials to achieve effective heat insulation, which increases their size and volume, making it challenging to create a compact design while maintaining efficient heat insulation and preventing dewing issues.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerator design featuring a vacuum space between the inner and outer cases, with a supporting portion to maintain the vacuum state and a dewing preventive unit, such as a heat spreading plate, metal coated layer, heater, or hot pipe, to prevent surface temperature drops and dewing on the outer case.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If thick insulating material is used to achieve effective heat insulation, then heat insulation performance is improved, but refrigerator size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state of the insulating medium from atmospheric pressure to vacuum state, eliminating gas molecules that conduct heat. This parameter change (from air-filled to vacuum) provides superior heat insulation without requiring thick material layers, thus reducing refrigerator size while improving thermal performance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite structure combining the vacuum space with supporting portions made of low thermal conductivity materials. This composite approach maintains the vacuum's excellent insulation properties while providing structural support, achieving both compact size and effective heat insulation
2Loss of energy
If vacuum space is formed to improve heat insulation and reduce size, then heat insulation efficiency is improved and refrigerator size is reduced, but dewing occurs at supporting portions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different thermal properties to different parts of the supporting structure. The supporting portions are made of materials with low thermal conductivity, creating a local quality difference that reduces heat transfer at critical locations where dewing would occur, while maintaining the overall vacuum insulation effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The supporting portions act as intermediary elements between the inner and outer cases. By using materials with low thermal conductivity as intermediaries, the patent reduces direct heat transfer paths that would cause temperature drops and dewing, while still maintaining the vacuum space structure
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 design enhances heat insulation efficiency by eliminating the need for thick insulating materials, allowing for a more compact refrigerator size while effectively preventing dewing, thus offering improved thermal performance and reduced size without compromising storage capacity.
Implementation Method 1
a vacuum space provided between the inner case and the outer case sealed to maintain a vacuum state for heat insulating between the inner case and the outer case
Implementation Method 2
cold conducted from the inner case to the outer case through the supporting portion
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator includes a body having a storage space. The body includes an inner case having the storage space, an outer case having an inside surface spaced a predetermined gap from an outside surface of the inner case to house the inner case, a vacuum space provided between the inner case and the outer case sealed to maintain a vacuum state for heat insulating between the inner case and the outer case, a supporting portion provided to contact with the outside surface of the inner case and the inside surface of the outer case to maintain a spaced state of the vacuum space, and a dewing preventive unit adjacent to the supporting portion for preventing dewing from taking place at the outer case by suppressing surface temperature drop of the outer case caused by cold conducted from the inner case to the outer case through the supporting portion.