Dual Fresh-Food Compartment Cooling With a Shared Evaporator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Refrigerators with multiple fresh-food compartments operating at different temperatures are costly due to the need for separate evaporators or the risk of food damage when using cold air from a freezer, and existing solutions do not provide a cost-effective and safe method for storing food at varying temperature ranges.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerator design featuring a main fan and secondary fan system, with a shared evaporator and a thermally insulating separation panel, allowing air to be circulated between compartments to maintain optimal temperature ranges without the need for separate evaporators, and a control unit to manage fan activation based on user-selectable temperatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If one evaporator is provided for each fresh-food compartment to ensure good refrigeration performance, then the temperature control for each compartment is improved, but the cost of the refrigerator increases to an uncompetitive extent
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the refrigeration function for both fresh-food compartments into a single shared evaporator system. The evaporator is positioned to serve both compartments simultaneously, eliminating the need for two separate evaporators while maintaining effective temperature control in both the first and second fresh-food compartments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a secondary fan as an intermediary device to regulate air flow between compartments. This fan controls the distribution of cold air from the shared evaporator to the second fresh-food compartment, enabling precise temperature control without requiring a dedicated evaporator for each compartment.
2Temperature
If cold air from a freezer is drawn to feed the low-temperature fresh-food compartment, then the refrigeration effect is improved, but the stored food may be damaged if not properly designed and operated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses parameter changes by controlling the temperature of air supplied to the second fresh-food compartment. The secondary fan regulates air flow to maintain temperatures in the optimal range (0°C to +3°C), preventing the air from becoming too cold and damaging the stored food while still achieving effective refrigeration.
3Device complexity
If a shared evaporator is used with other compartments to reduce cost, then the cost-effectiveness is improved, but the temperature control precision for different compartments may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The secondary fan acts as an intermediary control device that enables precise temperature regulation in the second fresh-food compartment despite using a shared evaporator. By controlling the air flow rate and distribution, the fan ensures that each compartment receives the appropriate amount of cold air to maintain its specific temperature requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs dynamic control through the secondary fan, which can adjust its operation based on temperature sensor feedback. This dynamic adjustment allows the shared evaporator system to adapt to different thermal demands of each compartment, maintaining precise temperature control throughout varying operating conditions.
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 provides a cost-effective and safe method for storing food at different temperature ranges, ensuring the preservation of nutritional qualities and preventing food damage, while maintaining energy efficiency and reducing operational costs.
Implementation Method 1
an evaporator for commonly refrigerating both the first and second fresh-food sub-compartments
Implementation Method 2
a main fan, provided in a rear wall and passing through the rear panel, for sucking air from the first fresh-food sub-compartment and blowing the same in an interspace and through the evaporator to be cooled down
Implementation Method 3
a panel separating the first and second fresh-food sub-compartments
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
A refrigerating apparatus (100), particularly for home use, is proposed. The refrigerating apparatus comprises a first fresh-food sub-compartment (120) for storing fresh foods at a first range of temperatures, at least a second fresh-food sub-compartment (125) for storing fresh foods at a second range of temperatures lower than the first range of temperatures, a panel (130) separating the first and second fresh-food sub-compartments, an evaporator (145) for commonly refrigerating both the first and second fresh-food sub-compartments - the evaporator is mounted at the rear of the refrigerating apparatus and separated from the fresh-food sub-compartments by a rear panel (160) -, a main fan (135), provided in a rear wall (140) and passing through the rear panel, for sucking air from the first fresh-food sub-compartment and to blow the same in an interspace (165) and through the evaporator to be cooled down; said air returns into the first fresh-food sub-compartment and reaches the second fresh-food sub-compartment through apertures (170, 175) formed by the rear panel. The refrigerating apparatus further comprises a secondary fan (155) adapted to suck air from the first fresh-food sub-compartment and to blow it into the second fresh-food sub-compartment in order to raise the temperature thereof.