Refrigerator with tandem evaporators
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Solution Overview
Problem
The design of door-mounted ice dispensers in bottom mount refrigerators is complicated due to the placement of the freezer compartment at the bottom, leading to energy inefficiency, increased costs, and reduced storage capacity, as existing solutions often require complex arrangements of ducts and ports to maintain the ice maker and storage receptacle at a suitable temperature.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerator system utilizing a pair of tandem evaporators, where an upstream evaporator cools the freezer and fresh food compartments, and a downstream evaporator further cools the air to support the ice making system, allowing for efficient ice production and dispensing without the need for complex ducts and ports.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the freezer compartment is placed at the bottom of the refrigerator, then the fresh food compartment is accessible at a convenient height, but the ice dispenser cannot be conveniently mounted on the freezer door and requires complex duct arrangements
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into two independent evaporators: a first evaporator for the freezer compartment and a second evaporator for the ice maker. This segmentation allows each evaporator to be optimally positioned and controlled independently, eliminating the need for complex duct arrangements to route cooled air from the freezer to the ice maker.
Solution Approach 2:
The second evaporator acts as an intermediary cooling device specifically for the ice maker. It receives refrigerant from the refrigeration system and directly cools the ice maker components, serving as a mediator between the refrigeration system and the ice maker, thereby eliminating the need for complex air ducting from the freezer.
2Ease of operation
If the ice maker is located in the fresh food compartment to enable door-mounted dispensing, then the dispenser can be positioned conveniently, but the ice maker requires complex duct arrangements to receive cooled air
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into two independent evaporators: a first evaporator for the freezer compartment and a second evaporator for the ice maker. This segmentation allows each evaporator to be optimally positioned and controlled independently, eliminating the need for complex duct arrangements to route cooled air from the freezer to the ice maker.
Solution Approach 2:
The ice maker is equipped with its own dedicated second evaporator that directly cools it. This self-service approach allows the ice maker to obtain cooling independently without relying on air ducts from the freezer, simplifying the overall system arrangement while enabling flexible positioning.
3Device complexity
If a single evaporator is used to cool both the freezer and ice maker, then the system is simpler, but the defrost cycles disrupt ice production and energy efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into two independent evaporators: a first evaporator for the freezer compartment and a second evaporator for the ice maker. This segmentation allows each evaporator to be optimally positioned and controlled independently, eliminating the need for complex duct arrangements to route cooled air from the freezer to the ice maker.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters by using two independently controllable evaporators instead of one. This allows the second evaporator to maintain stable cooling conditions for the ice maker regardless of the first evaporator's defrost cycles, thereby improving ice production efficiency and energy utilization.
4Temperature
If complex duct arrangements are used to cool the ice maker from the freezer, then the ice maker can be cooled, but energy efficiency is reduced and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into two independent evaporators: a first evaporator for the freezer compartment and a second evaporator for the ice maker. This segmentation allows each evaporator to be optimally positioned and controlled independently, eliminating the need for complex duct arrangements to route cooled air from the freezer to the ice maker.
Solution Approach 2:
The second evaporator acts as an intermediary cooling device specifically for the ice maker. It receives refrigerant from the refrigeration system and directly cools the ice maker components, serving as a mediator between the refrigeration system and the ice maker, thereby eliminating the need for complex air ducting from the freezer.
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 configuration enhances energy efficiency, reduces costs, and maintains storage capacity by effectively cooling the ice making system while minimizing the impact of defrost cycles on ice production and allowing for flexible cooling options.
Implementation Method 1
a first evaporator in fluid communication with one of the freezer compartment and the fresh food compartment to cool air received thereby and supply a first portion of the cooled air to the one of the freezer compartment and the fresh food compartment
Implementation Method 2
a second evaporator in fluid communication with the first evaporator to receive a second portion of the cooled air and further cool the second portion of the cooled air and supply at least a portion of the further cooled second portion of the cooled air to the ice maker mold
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator and method utilize a pair of tandem evaporators to provide cooling for both a compartment and an ice making system of a refrigerator. An upstream evaporator in the pair of tandem evaporators provides cooling for a compartment such as a freezer, fresh food, flexible cooling, or quick cooling compartment, while a downstream evaporator is in fluid communication with the upstream evaporator to receive a portion of the air cooled by the upstream evaporator and further cool the received portion for use in cooling one or more components of the ice making system.