REFRIGERATION APPLIANCE

Technical Field

The present invention relates to the technical field of refrigerating appliances, and in particular, to a household refrigerator and a working method thereof.

Related Art

In the prior art, in a control system of an air cooling variable frequency refrigerator, when a compartment of the refrigerator has a refrigeration requirement, refrigeration of the refrigerator is started, and a compressor, a compressor, a fan, and the like all start to work. During refrigeration of the compartment, a condenser fan or an evaporator fan generally operates at a constant rotating speed.

SUMMARY

One of the problems resolved in the present invention is: during refrigeration of a compartment, how to resolve a matching problem between a rotating speed of a fan and a cold energy requirement change of the compartment.

To resolve the above problem, the present invention provides a working method of a refrigerating appliance. The working method includes: running a compressor and a fan to cool a storage space, and adjusting a rotating speed of the fan in association with a temperature of the storage space.

In this way, during refrigeration in the storage space, along with a temperature change of the storage space, a cold energy requirement of the storage space also changes, so as to adjust the rotating speed of the fan based on the temperature change of the storage space, thereby causing the rotating speed of the fan to basically match the cold energy requirement of the storage space in real time.

To resolve the above problem, the present invention provides another working method of a refrigerating appliance. The working method includes: running a compressor and a fan to cool a storage space, and adjusting a rotating speed of the fan in association with a rotating speed of the compressor.

In this way, during refrigeration in the storage space, along with a temperature change of the storage space, a cold energy requirement of the storage space also changes, and correspondingly, the rotating speed of the compressor may also change, so as to adjust the rotating speed of the fan based on a rotating speed change of the compressor, thereby causing the rotating speed of the fan to basically match the cold energy requirement of the storage space in real time.

Further, the working method further includes: adjusting the rotating speed of the compressor in association with the temperature of the storage space.

During refrigeration in the storage space, along with a temperature change of the storage space, the cold energy requirement of the storage space also changes, and correspondingly, the rotating speed of the compressor may also change.

Further, the fan includes a fan for conveying cold air generated by an evaporator to the storage space and/or a fan for cooling a condenser.

Because when the refrigeration requirement of the entire storage space changes, the rotating speed of the compressor correspondingly changes, the fan for cooling the condenser and the fan for conveying the cold air generated by the evaporator to the storage space are correspondingly synchronously adjusted, to meet requirements of a heat exchange change and refrigeration, so as to ensure a suitable temperature of the condenser and a suitable temperature of the evaporator, thereby improving refrigeration efficiency of an entire refrigeration system.

Further, the rotating speed of the fan is positively correlated with the temperature of the storage space.

If the temperature of the storage space increases or decreases, the cold energy requirement of the storage space also correspondingly increases or decreases, so as to correspondingly adjust the rotating speed of the fan to be higher or lower.

Further, the adjusting a rotating speed of the fan in association with a temperature of the storage space includes: adjusting the rotating speed of the fan based on a difference between the temperature of the storage space and a reference temperature.

Further, an adjustment amount of the rotating speed of the fan is positively correlated with the difference. The reference temperature may be set as a target setting temperature of the storage space. When a difference between the temperature of the storage space and the target setting temperature is greater than 0 and greater, it indicates that the cold energy requirement of the storage space is greater, and correspondingly an adjusted speed of the fan is greater, and vice versa.

Further, the adjusting a rotating speed of the fan in association with a rotating speed of the compressor includes: obtaining the rotating speed of the fan through calculation based on the rotating speed of the compressor.

A mathematical relationship model is created between the rotating speed of the compressor and the rotating speed of the fan, and a rotating speed of the fan that synchronously changes along with the rotating speed of the compressor is calculated according to the mathematical relationship model.

Further, the adjusting a rotating speed of the fan in association with a rotating speed of the compressor includes: obtaining the rotating speed of the fan based on a one-to-one correspondence between different rotating speeds of the compressor and different rotating speeds of the fan.

The one-to-one correspondence indicates that a plurality of sets of the rotating speed of the compressor and the rotating speed of the fan in a one-to-one correspondence are pre-stored in a control unit or a storage unit of the refrigerating appliance. For example, the rotating speed of the compressor includes a first rotating speed of the compressor, a second rotating speed of the compressor... an X ^th rotating speed of the compressor that are continuously set in an ascending order, and correspondingly, the rotating speed of the fan also includes a first rotating speed of the fan, a second rotating speed of the fan... an X ^th rotating speed of the fan that are continuously set in an ascending order. Based on the one-to-one correspondence, each time the rotating speed of the compressor changes, the rotating speed of the fan correspondingly changes once.

Further, the rotating speed of the compressor includes an N' rotating speed of the compressor and an (N+l) ^th rotating speed of the compressor that are continuously set in an ascending order; and based on the correspondence, the rotating speed of the fan includes an N' rotating speed of the fan and an (N+l) ^th rotating speed of the fan that are continuously set in an ascending order.

Further, when an actual rotating speed of the compressor is between the N ^th rotating speed of the compressor and the (N+l) ^th rotating speed of the compressor, corresponding to the actual rotating speed of the compressor, an actual rotating speed of the fan is obtained through calculation based on the N' rotating speed of the fan and the (N+l) ^th rotating speed of the fan.

In this case, the actual rotating speed of the compressor does not belong to the plurality of sets of rotating speeds of the compressor that are in a one-to-one correspondence and pre-stored in the control unit or the storage unit, so that the corresponding actual rotating speed of the fan is obtained through certain calculation.

When the actual rotating speed of the compressor is between the N' rotating speed of the compressor and the (N+l) ^th rotating speed of the compressor, the actual rotating speed of the compressor has a certain proportional relationship between the N' rotating speed of the compressor and the (N+l) ^th rotating speed of the compressor, and particularly, the proportional relationship is calculated by using an interpolation method. By using the proportional relationship, the N' rotating speed of the fan, and the (N+l) ^th rotating speed of the fan, the actual rotating speed of the fan between the N' rotating speed of the fan and the (N+l) ^th rotating speed of the fan may be calculated, and particularly, the actual rotating speed of the fan is also calculated by using the interpolation method.

Further, the working method further includes: determining a maximum rotating speed and a minimum rotating speed of the fan in association with an ambient temperature; and

running the fan at the maximum rotating speed when an adjusted rotating speed of the fan is greater than the maximum rotating speed; and running the fan at the minimum rotating speed when an adjusted rotating speed of the compressor is less than the minimum rotating speed.

Further, the working method further includes: the rotating speed of the fan increasing when the temperature of the storage space increases; the rotating speed of the fan decreasing when the temperature of the storage space decreases; and the rotating speed of the fan tending to be stable when the temperature of the storage space tends to be stable.

Further, the working method further includes: the rotating speed of the fan increasing when the rotating speed of the compressor increases, the rotating speed of the fan decreasing when the rotating speed of the compressor decreases; and the rotating speed of the fan tending to be stable when the rotating speed of the compressor tends to be stable.

In addition, the present invention further provides a refrigerating appliance, including a control unit. The control unit controls working of the refrigerating appliance according to any one of the foregoing working methods.

With technical conditions allowed, a protection subject of any of the foregoing independent claims may be combined with a single protection subject or a combination of a plurality of protection subjects of any appended claim, to jointly form a new protection subject.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a refrigeration system of a refrigerator in an implementation of the present invention.

Reference numerals: 100— Refrigerator; 10— Refrigeration system; 11— First flow divider valve; 12— Second flow divider valve; 1— Freezing compartment; 2— Cold storage compartment; 3— Ice temperature compartment; 4— Compressor; 5— Condenser; 51— Condenser fan; 6— Ice temperature compartment evaporator; 61— Ice temperature compartment fan; 7— Cold storage compartment evaporator; 8— Freezing compartment evaporator; and 81— Freezing compartment fan.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following clearly and completely describes the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments instead of all embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments obtained by a person skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Referring to FIG 1, a refrigerating appliance in an implementation of the present invention is set to be a household refrigerator, and the refrigerator is a side-by-side refrigerator having three storage spaces refrigerating respectively and independently. The three independent storage spaces of the refrigerator 100 include a freezing compartment 1 and two non-freezing compartments, that is, a cold storage compartment 2 located on the upper right of the refrigerator and an ice temperature compartment 3 located on the lower right of the refrigerator, a refrigeration system 10, and a control device (not shown in the figure) for controlling the refrigeration system 10. The refrigeration system includes a compressor 4, a condenser 5, a condenser fan 51, and components such as evaporators and fans that respectively and independently refrigerate for the three storage spaces. The control device includes three temperature sensors (not shown in the figure) that respectively and independently detect storage temperatures of the three storage spaces.

The refrigeration system 10 has three refrigeration circles that respectively and independently refrigerate for the three storage spaces. Each of the storage spaces can independently control a temperature. The refrigeration circle mainly refers to a circular flow of refrigerants in the components in the refrigeration system. For example, using the compressor 4 as a starting point, a refrigerant that has released cold energy and has absorbed heat in the storage space is taken in by the compressor 4 in a gaseous state, and is compressed into high-temperature and high-pressure vapor to enter the condenser 5 through a pipe. Cooled by the condenser fan 51, the refrigerant emits, in the condenser 5, heat into external air, and is condensed to be a high-pressure liquid refrigerant. Under flow dividing of a first flow divider valve 11 and a second flow divider valve 12, the liquid refrigerant may respectively flow toward an ice temperature compartment evaporator 6, a cold storage compartment evaporator 7, and a freezing compartment evaporator 8 in a controllable manner, so as to respectively and independently perform refrigeration in the ice temperature compartment 3, the cold storage compartment 2, and the freezing compartment 1, thereby implementing cooling in the three storage spaces. After absorbing the heat in the storage space, the liquid refrigerant is vaporized to be a vapor refrigerant and is taken in by the compressor 4 again. Circulating in this way, the refrigerant enters a next circle.

The refrigerant flowing out of the ice temperature compartment evaporator 6 and the cold storage compartment evaporator 7 generally first flows through the freezing compartment evaporator 8 and then flows into the compressor 4. This is because the refrigerant flowing out of the ice temperature compartment evaporator 6 and the cold storage compartment evaporator 7 still has some cold energy, and may be used for absorbing heat in the freezing compartment 1. The control device may control a flow direction of the refrigerant by controlling the first flow divider valve 11 and the second flow divider valve 12, thereby performing independent temperature control on the ice temperature compartment 3, the cold storage compartment 2, and the freezing compartment 1.

In this implementation, a general setting temperature of the freezing compartment 1 is minus 18 °C, a general setting temperature of the cold storage compartment 2 is 2 °C to 6 °C, and a general setting temperature of the ice temperature compartment 3 is 0 °C to 3 °C. Both the freezing compartment 1 and the ice temperature compartment 3 use an air cooling manner, and the cold storage compartment 2 uses a direct cooling manner. Both the air cooling manner and the direct cooling manner are refrigeration manners acknowledged by a person skilled in the art, and details are not described herein again.

In the ice temperature compartment 3, the ice temperature compartment evaporator

6 is disposed between a rear wall of the ice temperature compartment 3 and an evaporator cover plate (not shown in the figure) (a space in which the evaporator is placed may be referred to as an evaporator room), and the ice temperature compartment fan 61 is disposed close to the top of the ice temperature compartment evaporator 6. Cold air produced by the ice temperature compartment evaporator 6 is blasted by the ice temperature compartment fan 61 to be blown into the ice temperature compartment 3, so as to implement refrigeration.

Similar to the structure of the ice temperature compartment 3, the freezing compartment evaporator 8 is also disposed between the rear wall of the ice temperature compartment 3 and the evaporator cover plate (not shown in the figure), and the freezing compartment fan 81 is disposed close to the top of the freezing compartment evaporator 8, and blows the cold air produced by the freezing compartment evaporator 8 into the freezing compartment 1.

In a control system of a current air cooling refrigerator, a control rule for the fan is: during refrigeration in a compartment, the compressor starts or stops, and the corresponding fan starts or stops at a constant rotating speed. For example, when the freezing compartment 1 performs refrigeration, the compressor 4 is turned on, and the freezing compartment fan 81 and the condenser fan 51 are also started, keep working at a constant rotating speed, and stop working until the refrigeration ends. Likewise, when the ice temperature compartment 3 performs refrigeration, the compressor 4 is also turned on, and the ice temperature compartment fan 61 and the condenser fan 51 are also started, keep working with another constant speed, and stop working until the refrigeration ends. In this way, the rotating speed of the fan cannot be adjusted according to the cold energy requirement change of the compartment during the refrigeration, so that the overall performance of the refrigeration system of the refrigerator cannot reach an optimal matching effect. Therefore, the present invention provides an improved working method of a refrigerator, and particularly, a control rule for the fan during refrigeration is improved, so that the overall performance of the refrigeration system of the refrigerator can be further improved.

In an embodiment, the improved working method of the refrigerator is shown in

FIG. 2, and is described below by using specific steps.

Step S101. Refrigeration starts.

Generally, a temperature sensor for detecting a storage temperature of a compartment may be disposed in the compartment, and a storage temperature obtained through detection is fed back to a control unit of the refrigerator. If a current storage temperature is higher than a setting temperature of the compartment, the control unit of the refrigerator starts to perform refrigeration in the compartment accordingly.

Step SI 02. A compressor and a fan start to work.

After the refrigeration starts, the compressor of the refrigerator starts to work, a condenser and a condenser fan also start to work, and an evaporator fan working for the compartment also works, to blast cold air cooled by an evaporator to be blown into the compartment, to decrease the storage temperature of the compartment.

Step SI 03. Compare whether the storage temperature is less than or equal to the setting temperature.

Whether to stop refrigeration and to adjust a rotating speed of the fan is determined by a comparison result between the storage temperature obtained through real-time detection and the setting temperature of the compartment.

When the storage temperature obtained through detection is less than or equal to the setting temperature of the compartment, the compartment has no more need of refrigeration, directly enter step SI 04 in which the compressor and the fan stops working, and step 105 in which the refrigeration ends.

When the storage temperature obtained through detection is greater than the setting temperature of the compartment, the compartment needs to continue refrigerating, and enter step SI 06 for further determining.

Step SI 06. Determine whether the storage temperature changes.

When the storage temperature obtained through detection keeps unchanged, it indicates that in this case, cold energy supplied for the compartment is suitable, the rotating speed of the fan may keep unchanged, and in this case, jump back to step SI 03 to continue determining.

When the storage temperature obtained through detection change, it indicates that in this case, cold energy supplied for the compartment needs to be adjusted, so as to enter step SI 07 to adjust the rotating speed of the fan, and then jump back to SI 03 again to continue determining.

Step SI 07. Adjust the rotating speed of the fan.

Specifically, the rotating speed of the fan is positively correlated with a storage temperature obtained through current detection. If the storage temperature obtained through the current detection is higher than a storage temperature obtained through last detection, it indicates that in this case, the cold energy supplied for the compartment needs to be increased, and the rotating speed of the fan may be correspondingly adjusted to be higher. If the storage temperature obtained through the current detection is lower than the storage temperature obtained through the last detection, it indicates that in this case, the cold energy supplied for the compartment needs to be decreased, and the rotating speed of the fan may be correspondingly adjusted to be lower.

Further, the rotating speed of the fan may be adjusted based on a difference between the storage temperature obtained through the current detection and a reference temperature. The reference temperature may be, for example, the setting temperature of the compartment. The rotating speed of the fan is positively correlated with the difference. If the difference between the storage temperature obtained through the current detection and the reference temperature increases, it indicates that in this case, the cold energy supplied for the compartment needs to be increased, and the rotating speed of the fan may be correspondingly adjusted to be higher, that is, an adjustment amount of the rotating speed of the fan is increased. If the difference between the storage temperature obtained through the current detection and the reference temperature decreases, it indicates that in this case, the cold energy supplied for the compartment needs to be decreased, and the rotating speed of the fan may be correspondingly adjusted to be lower, that is, the adjustment amount of the rotating speed of the fan is decreased.

The following further describes this embodiment by using a refrigeration control process of the freezing compartment 1 and the ice temperature compartment 3 in FIG. 1 as an example.

When the freezing compartment 1 performs refrigeration, the compressor 4 is turned on, the freezing compartment fan 81 and the condenser fan 51 also start, and a rotating speed of the freezing compartment fan 81 and a rotating speed of the condenser fan 51 change along with a storage temperature change of the freezing compartment 1. If a storage temperature of the freezing compartment 1 that is obtained through current detection is higher than a storage temperature of the freezing compartment 1 that is obtained through last detection, it indicates that in this case, the cold energy supplied for the freezing compartment 1 needs to be increased, and the rotating speed of the freezing compartment fan 81 and the rotating speed of the condenser fan 51 may be correspondingly adjusted to be higher. If the storage temperature of the freezing compartment 1 that is obtained through the current detection is lower than the storage temperature of the freezing compartment 1 that is obtained through the last detection, it indicates that in this case, the cold energy supplied for the freezing compartment 1 needs to be decreased, and the rotating speed of the freezing compartment fan 81 and the rotating speed of the condenser fan 51 may be correspondingly adjusted to be lower. Likewise, when the ice temperature compartment 3 performs refrigeration, the compressor 4 is also turned on, and the ice temperature compartment fan 61 and the condenser fan 51 also start. At the same time, a rotating speed of the ice temperature compartment fan 61 and a rotating speed of the condenser fan 51 also change along with a storage temperature change of the ice temperature compartment 3.

In this way, the rotating speed of the fan is adjusted according to the cold energy requirement change of the compartment during the refrigeration, so that the overall performance of the refrigeration system of the refrigerator can reach an optimal matching effect.

In another embodiment, an improved working method of a refrigerator is shown in FIG. 3, and is described below by using specific steps.

Step S201. Refrigeration starts.

If a storage temperature of a compartment that is obtained through current detection is higher than a setting temperature of the compartment, a control unit of the refrigerator starts to perform refrigeration in the compartment accordingly.

Step S202. A compressor and a fan start to work.

After the refrigeration starts, the compressor of the refrigerator starts to work, a condenser and a condenser fan also start to work, and an evaporator fan working for the compartment also works, to blast cold air cooled by an evaporator to be blown into the compartment, to decrease the storage temperature of the compartment.

Step S203. Adjust a rotating speed of the compressor based on the storage temperature.

During the refrigeration in the compartment, the storage temperature of the compartment may change along with the refrigeration process, it indicates that a cold energy requirement of the compartment in the whole process also changes, so that the rotating speed of the compressor may be correspondingly adjusted to match the cold energy requirement of the compartment. When the storage temperature of the compartment increases, the cold energy requirement of the compartment increases, and the rotating speed of the compressor is correspondingly adjusted to be higher. When the storage temperature of the compartment decreases, the cold energy requirement of the compartment decreases, and the rotating speed of the compressor is correspondingly adjusted to be lower.

Step S204. Adjust a rotating speed of the fan based on the rotating speed of the compressor.

During the refrigeration in the compartment, the storage temperature of the compartment changes, and the rotating speed of the compressor also changes, it indicates that a cold energy requirement of the compartment also changes, so that the rotating speed of the fan may be correspondingly adjusted to match the cold energy requirement of the compartment. When the rotating speed of the compressor increases, the cold energy requirement of the compartment increases, and the rotating speed of the fan is correspondingly adjusted to be higher. When the rotating speed of the compressor decreases, the cold energy requirement of the compartment decreases, and the rotating speed of the fan is correspondingly adjusted to be lower.

Further, the rotating speed of the fan is obtained through calculation based on the rotating speed of the compressor. A mathematical relationship model is created between the rotating speed of the compressor and the rotating speed of the fan, and a rotating speed of the fan that synchronously changes along with the rotating speed of the compressor is calculated according to the mathematical relationship model.

Further, the rotating speed of the fan is obtained based on a one-to-one correspondence between different rotating speeds of the compressor and different rotating speeds of the fan. The one-to-one correspondence indicates that a plurality of sets of the rotating speed of the compressor and the rotating speed of the fan in a one-to-one correspondence are pre-stored in a control unit or a storage unit of the refrigerating appliance. For example, the rotating speed of the compressor includes a first rotating speed of the compressor, a second rotating speed of the compressor... an N' rotating speed of the compressor, an (N+l) ^th rotating speed of the compressor... an X ^th rotating speed of the compressor that are continuously set in an ascending order, and correspondingly, the rotating speed of the fan also includes a first rotating speed of the fan, a second rotating speed of the fan... an N' rotating speed of the fan, an (N+l) ^th rotating speed of the fan... an X ^th rotating speed of the fan that are continuously set in an ascending order. Based on the one-to-one correspondence, each time the rotating speed of the compressor changes, the rotating speed of the fan correspondingly changes once.

Further, when an actual rotating speed of the compressor is between rotating speeds of any two foregoing compressors that are continuously set, for example, when the actual rotating speed of the compressor is between the N' rotating speed of the compressor and the (N+l) ^th rotating speed of the compressor, corresponding to the actual rotating speed of the compressor, an actual rotating speed of the fan is obtained through calculation based on the N ^th rotating speed of the fan and the (N+l) ^th rotating speed of the fan.

In this case, the actual rotating speed of the compressor does not belong to the plurality of sets of rotating speeds of the compressor that are in a one-to-one correspondence and pre-stored in the control unit or the storage unit, so that the corresponding actual rotating speed of the fan is obtained through certain calculation.

When the actual rotating speed of the compressor is between the N' rotating speed of the compressor and the (N+l) ^th rotating speed of the compressor, the actual rotating speed of the compressor has a certain proportional relationship between the N' rotating speed of the compressor and the (N+l) ^th rotating speed of the compressor, and particularly, the proportional relationship is calculated by using an interpolation method. By using the proportional relationship, the N* ^h rotating speed of the fan, and the (N+l) ^th rotating speed of the fan, the actual rotating speed of the fan between the N' rotating speed of the fan and the (N+l) ^th rotating speed of the fan may be calculated, and particularly, the actual rotating speed of the fan is also calculated by using the interpolation method.

The following further describes this embodiment by using a refrigeration control process of the freezing compartment 1 and the ice temperature compartment 3 in FIG. 1 as an example.

When the freezing compartment 1 performs refrigeration, the compressor 4 is turned on, the freezing compartment fan 81 and the condenser fan 51 also start, and the rotating speed of the compressor 4 changes along with a storage temperature change of the freezing compartment 1. At the same time, a rotating speed of the freezing compartment fan 81 and a rotating speed of the condenser fan 51 also change along with the storage temperature change of the compressor 4. If a storage temperature of the freezing compartment 1 that is obtained through current detection is higher than a storage temperature of the freezing compartment 1 that is obtained through last detection, it indicates that in this case, the cold energy supplied for the freezing compartment 1 needs to be increased, so that the rotating speed of the compressor 4 increases, and the rotating speed of the freezing compartment fan 81 and the rotating speed of the condenser fan 51 may be correspondingly adjusted to be higher. If the storage temperature of the freezing compartment 1 that is obtained through the current detection is lower than the storage temperature of the freezing compartment 1 that is obtained through the last detection, it indicates that in this case, the cold energy supplied for the freezing compartment 1 needs to be decreased, so that the rotating speed of the compressor 4 decreases, and the rotating speed of the freezing compartment fan 81 and the rotating speed of the condenser fan 51 may be correspondingly adjusted to be lower. Likewise, when the ice temperature compartment 3 performs refrigeration, the compressor 4 is also turned on, the ice temperature compartment fan 61 and the condenser fan 51 also start, and the rotating speed of the compressor 4 changes along with a storage temperature change of the ice temperature compartment 3. At the same time, a rotating speed of the ice temperature compartment fan 61 and a rotating speed of the condenser fan 51 also change along with the rotating speed change of the compressor 4.

In this way, the rotating speed of the fan is adjusted according to the cold energy requirement change of the compartment during the refrigeration, so that the overall performance of the refrigeration system of the refrigerator can reach an optimal matching effect.

The above description of the disclosed embodiments enables a person skilled in the art to implement or use the present invention. Various modifications to these embodiments are obvious to a person skilled in the art, and the general principles defined in this specification may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments illustrated in the present invention, but needs to conform to the broadest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed in the present invention.