Secondary Cooling Loop for Stable Refrigerator Compartment Temperatures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigerator cooling systems face challenges in efficiently managing excess cooling capacity, leading to unwanted temperature fluctuations in fresh food compartments due to the inability to consistently operate evaporators at desired temperatures.
Innovation Solution
A dual evaporator cooling system with a secondary cooling loop that utilizes a reservoir to store excess cooling capacity from the primary evaporator, a heat exchanger to provide cooling to features within the fresh food compartment, and a pump to distribute the thermal storage material, along with a controller to manage coolant flow and bypass circuits for efficient thermal regulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a single evaporator is used to cool the fresh food compartment, then the evaporator can be operated at desired temperatures, but excess cooling capacity causes unwanted temperature fluctuations
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into a primary cooling loop with the first evaporator for the fresh food compartment and a secondary cooling loop with the second evaporator for the freezer compartment. The secondary loop acts as a separate thermal management system that can absorb excess cooling capacity without affecting the primary loop's temperature stability.
Solution Approach 2:
A thermal storage medium is introduced as an intermediary between the first evaporator and the fresh food compartment. This medium absorbs excess cooling capacity when available and releases it when needed, acting as a buffer that prevents temperature fluctuations while allowing the evaporator to operate at desired temperatures.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If excess cooling capacity is not managed, then the evaporator can operate continuously, but energy usage increases and temperature control deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates feedback control where the controller monitors thermal storage medium temperature and adjusts the first evaporator operation accordingly. When the thermal storage medium reaches desired cooling levels, the controller reduces or stops first evaporator operation, preventing energy waste while maintaining temperature control through the second evaporator.
Solution Approach 2:
The first evaporator operates periodically rather than continuously. The controller cycles the first evaporator on and off based on thermal storage medium temperature, allowing the second evaporator to provide continuous cooling while the first evaporator recharges the thermal storage medium during active periods.
3Productivity
If a secondary cooling loop is added to manage thermal demands, then thermal regulation efficiency improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The second evaporator and its associated cooling loop serve multiple functions: providing primary cooling for the freezer compartment, absorbing excess cooling capacity from the first evaporator, and acting as a thermal buffer for the fresh food compartment. This multi-functionality improves thermal regulation efficiency without proportionally increasing system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system merges the primary and secondary cooling loops into a unified thermal management system where both evaporators share a common refrigerant circuit and controller. This integration allows coordinated operation that improves overall efficiency while minimizing the complexity increase from adding the secondary loop.
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 allows for consistent operation of evaporators at desired temperatures, reduces energy usage by temporarily relieving the compressor, and provides efficient thermal regulation by using a secondary cooling loop to manage thermal demands, making the system 'Smart Grid friendly' and space-efficient.
Implementation Method 1
a reservoir that is thermally connected to the first evaporator and stores a liquid thermal storage material that receives excess cooling capacity from the first evaporator
Implementation Method 2
a pump operably connected to the reservoir that pumps the liquid thermal storage material to the heat exchanger
Implementation Method 3
a heat exchanger thermally connected to a feature positioned within the first compartment
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator cooling system and method provides cooling to one or more features of a refrigerator by employing a secondary cooling loop that utilizes the excess cooling capacity of an evaporator to selectively provide supplemental cooling to the features when a thermal demand arises.