CN111380287A

CN111380287A - Air-cooled refrigerator and sterilization control method thereof

Info

Publication number: CN111380287A
Application number: CN201811626238.XA
Authority: CN
Inventors: 李春阳; 朱小兵; 王铭; 苗建林
Original assignee: Qingdao Haier Co Ltd
Current assignee: Qingdao Haier Co Ltd
Priority date: 2018-12-28
Filing date: 2018-12-28
Publication date: 2020-07-07

Abstract

The invention provides an air-cooled refrigerator and a sterilization control method thereof, wherein a sterilization device is arranged in the air-cooled refrigerator, the sterilization device comprises a booster circuit and an ionizer, the booster circuit is connected through a connecting cable, the booster circuit is controlled to operate in a shutdown mode, a high-voltage mode and a low-voltage mode, the ionizer is used for being excited and ionized by a first voltage provided by the booster circuit in the high-voltage mode to release sterilization ions and generating heat under a second voltage provided by the booster circuit in the low-voltage mode to eliminate condensation, and the control method further comprises the following steps: acquiring a starting signal for triggering the sterilization device to start; controlling the booster circuit to operate in a mode of a shutdown mode, a high-voltage mode and a low-voltage mode in a circulating and alternating mode, and counting the circulating times; acquiring a shutdown signal for triggering the sterilization device to be closed; and controlling the booster circuit to be closed, and resetting the respective time length of the booster circuit working in each mode in the cycle period according to the cycle number so as to be used when the sterilizing device is started next time.

Description

Air-cooled refrigerator and sterilization control method thereof

Technical Field

The invention relates to the technical field of refrigeration equipment, in particular to an air-cooled refrigerator and a sterilization control method thereof.

Background

The refrigerator is a common household appliance, and the freshness date of food is prolonged by refrigerating and freezing. In order to ensure the refrigerating and freezing effect, the refrigerator body is required to have good sealing performance.

However, if food is stored in the sealed environment for a long period of time, particularly for fresh vegetables placed in a cold storage compartment, the water loss stimulates the fruits and vegetables to release ethylene, which promotes chloroplast disintegration, tissue cell membrane deterioration, and decreased storage and disease resistance. On the other hand, under the temperature condition of the refrigerating chamber, some bacteria still can live and breed, thereby constituting a threat to the food in the refrigerating chamber and causing the food in the refrigerating chamber to decay and deteriorate.

Particularly for air-cooled refrigerators, the supply airflow may carry bacteria within the storage compartment and spread these bacteria throughout the refrigerator. Bacteria may multiply in places where the user cannot see the difficult to clean, such as wind tunnels. This seriously affects the safety of the storage environment of the refrigerator, resulting in a great increase in the rate of deterioration of the stored goods.

Although some sterilization devices for refrigerators appear in the prior art, the operation reliability of the sterilization device is poor due to the low-temperature and humid environment inside the refrigerator, and the use requirements of users cannot be met.

Disclosure of Invention

One object of the present invention is to provide a sterilization control method for an air-cooled refrigerator, which enables a sterilization apparatus to meet the requirement of reliable operation in a low-temperature and humid environment inside the refrigerator.

Another object of the present invention is to improve the sterilizing effect of an air-cooled refrigerator.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sterilization control method for an air-cooled refrigerator, wherein a sterilization device is disposed in the air-cooled refrigerator, the sterilization device includes a voltage boost circuit and an ionizer, the voltage boost circuit is connected by a connection cable, the voltage boost circuit is controlled to operate in a shutdown mode, a high voltage mode and a low voltage mode, the ionizer is configured to be excited by a first voltage provided by the voltage boost circuit in the high voltage mode to ionize to release sterilization ions, and to generate heat under a second voltage provided by the voltage boost circuit in the low voltage mode to eliminate condensation, and the control method further includes: acquiring a starting signal for triggering the sterilization device to start; controlling the booster circuit to operate in a mode of a shutdown mode, a high-voltage mode and a low-voltage mode in a circulating and alternating mode, and counting the circulating times; acquiring a shutdown signal for triggering the sterilization device to be closed; and controlling the booster circuit to be closed, and resetting respective time lengths of the booster circuit working in a shutdown mode, a high-voltage mode and a low-voltage mode in a cycle period according to the cycle times of the booster circuit so as to be used when the sterilization device is started next time.

Optionally, the step of resetting respective durations of the operation of the boost circuit in the shutdown mode, the high-voltage mode and the low-voltage mode in the cycle period according to the cycle number of the boost circuit includes: judging whether the cycle number is smaller than a preset number threshold; if not, shortening respective time lengths of the booster circuit working in the shutdown mode, the high-voltage mode and the low-voltage mode in the cycle period so as to expect that the cycle number of the next cycle operation of the sterilization device can reach a number threshold.

Optionally, if the number of cycles is greater than or equal to the number threshold, maintaining the respective durations of the shutdown mode, the high-voltage mode and the low-voltage mode of the voltage boosting circuit in the cycle period unchanged.

Optionally, the starting signal is an indication signal for starting a fan of a refrigeration system of the air-cooled refrigerator; and the stop signal is an indication signal of the closing of a fan of a refrigerating system of the air-cooled refrigerator or an indication signal of the threshold value of the number of times of circulation.

Optionally, the step of shortening respective durations of the operation of the voltage boost circuit in the shutdown mode, the high voltage mode, and the low voltage mode during the cycle period comprises: calculating the ratio of the cycle times to the time threshold; and shortening the respective time lengths of the booster circuit working in the shutdown mode, the high-voltage mode and the low-voltage mode in the cycle period according to the ratio.

Optionally, after acquiring the start signal triggering the start of the sterilization device, the method further includes: controlling the booster circuit to work in a low-voltage mode and continuously presetting preheating time; and after the preheating is finished, executing the step of controlling the boosting circuit to circularly and alternately operate.

Optionally, the step of controlling the boost circuit to operate in a cyclically alternating manner further comprises: a feedback signal of the booster circuit is detected, and the level of the feedback signal corresponds to the output voltage of the booster circuit, so that whether the booster circuit outputs the output voltage corresponding to the mode is determined by using the feedback signal.

Optionally, the effective value of the first voltage ranges from 2000 to 5000V; the effective value of the second voltage ranges from 1000 to 1800V.

Optionally, the step of controlling the boost circuit to operate in a cyclically alternating manner further comprises: and detecting the input current of the booster circuit, and judging whether the ion generator normally excites the sterilization ions or generates heat by using the input current.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is also provided an air-cooled refrigerator including: the box body defines a storage chamber; the air supply duct is used for providing refrigerating airflow to the storage compartment; the sterilizing device is used for releasing sterilizing ions and comprises a booster circuit and an ion generator which are connected through a connecting cable; the controller comprises a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a control program, and the control program is used for the sterilization control method of the air-cooled refrigerator when being executed by the processor.

According to the air-cooled refrigerator and the sterilization control method thereof, the sterilization ions are released in an ionization excitation mode, a sterilization preparation does not need to be replaced, the air-cooled refrigerator can be reliably used for a long time, and the operation period of alternating circulation of excitation, heating and pause in three states is provided aiming at the characteristics of a sterilization device, so that the sterilization device can reliably work in a low-temperature, moist and closed application environment of the refrigerator.

Furthermore, the air-cooled refrigerator and the sterilization control method thereof reset the periodic parameters of the sterilization device after the sterilization device is started each time, ensure that the operation of the sterilization device can reach the excitation times of the set times, and ensure the sterilization effect.

Furthermore, the air-cooled refrigerator and the control method of the sterilization device thereof of the invention also improve the starting condition and the stopping condition of the sterilization device, so that the sterilization device can sterilize when in refrigeration starting, and the sterilization ions are transmitted by using the air flow to improve the sterilization effect.

The above and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of specific embodiments thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Drawings

Some specific embodiments of the invention will be described in detail hereinafter, by way of illustration and not limitation, with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numbers in the drawings identify the same or similar elements or components. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. In the drawings:

fig. 1 is a schematic partial structural view of an air-cooled refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 2 is an electrical configuration block diagram of an air-cooled refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 3 is a schematic structural view of a sterilization apparatus of an air-cooled refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 4 is a circuit block diagram of a sterilization apparatus of an air-cooled refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 5 is a schematic circuit diagram of a sterilization apparatus of an air-cooled refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a schematic exploded view of a duct assembly in an air-cooled refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of airflow in an air-cooled refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 8 is a schematic view of a sterilization control method of an air-cooled refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

fig. 9 is a flowchart of a sterilization control method of an air-cooled refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description

FIG. 1 is a schematic partial block diagram of an air-cooled refrigerator 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention; fig. 2 is an electrical configuration block diagram of the air-cooled refrigerator 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The cabinet 210 of the air-cooled refrigerator 10 of the present embodiment may include a case made of a steel plate having an open front, an inner container made of a synthetic resin and provided in an inner space of the case and having an open front, and a heat insulating material made of a foamed polyurethane, which is filled and foamed in a gap between the case and the inner container. A storage compartment 220 for storing food or other articles, etc. is formed in the case 210. The interior of the housing 210 may be partitioned into one or more storage compartments 220, which may include, for example, a refrigerating compartment, a freezing compartment, a temperature-changing compartment, and the like, according to a preservation temperature and a use. The refrigeration system 310 may be a conventional compression refrigeration system that provides refrigeration to the storage compartment 220 via air cooling to provide the storage compartment 220 with a desired storage temperature. In some embodiments, the preservation temperature of the refrigerating chamber of the refrigerator can be 2-9 ℃, or can be 4-7 ℃; the preservation temperature of the freezing chamber can be-22 to-14 ℃, or can be-20 to 16 ℃. The freezing chamber is arranged below the refrigerating chamber, and the temperature-changing chamber is arranged between the freezing chamber and the refrigerating chamber. The temperature in the freezer compartment is typically in the range of-14 ℃ to-22 ℃. The temperature-changing chamber can be adjusted according to the requirement to store proper food.

The refrigeration system 310 may be a refrigeration cycle system composed of a compressor, a condenser, a throttle device, an evaporator, and the like. The evaporator is configured to directly or indirectly provide cooling energy into the storage space. The back of the box body 210 is also provided with an evaporator chamber which is communicated with the storage compartment 220 through a supply air duct 230, an evaporator is arranged in the evaporator chamber, a fan 320 is arranged at an outlet of the evaporator chamber to circularly refrigerate the storage compartment 220, and air flow enters the storage compartment 220 from a supply air inlet 221 and returns to the evaporator chamber from an air return inlet 222. The supply air duct 230 is used for supplying a cooling air flow to the storage compartment 220. Since such refrigeration systems themselves are well known and readily implemented by those skilled in the art, the refrigeration system 310 itself will not be described in further detail herein so as not to obscure or obscure the inventive aspects of the present application.

The sterilization device 100 is used for releasing sterilization ions into the inner space of the box 210, and may include a voltage boost circuit 112 and an ion generator 121, wherein the ion generator 121 is used for releasing sterilization ions, and the voltage boost circuit 112 is used for providing the ion generator 121 with the required electric energy.

The controller 330 may include a memory 332 and a processor 331, wherein the memory 332 stores a control program 333, and the control program 333 is executed by the processor 331 to implement the sterilization control method for the air-cooled refrigerator of the embodiment. The controller 330, as a control core of the air-cooled refrigerator 10 of this embodiment, can be implemented by configuring a corresponding control program 333 through the memory 332, the processor 331 (including a single chip, a digital signal processor, etc.) and its accessory circuits (a power supply, a clock circuit, etc.).

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the air-cooled refrigerator 10 of the present invention is not limited to a refrigerator having a refrigerating chamber and a freezing chamber in a general sense for storing food, but may be other devices having a refrigerating function, such as wine cabinets, cold storage tanks, etc.

Fig. 3 is a schematic structural view of the sterilization apparatus 100 of the air-cooled refrigerator 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 4 is a circuit block diagram of the sterilization apparatus 100 of the air-cooled refrigerator 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention; fig. 5 is a schematic circuit diagram of the sterilization apparatus 100 of the air-cooled refrigerator 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The sterilization apparatus 100 of the present embodiment may include: a first module 110, a second module 120, a connection cable 130. Wherein the first module 110 has a voltage boost circuit 112 therein, and the second module 120 includes an ionizer 121. A connecting cable 130 connects the first module 110 and the second module 120 such that the first module 110 controls an ionizer 121 to ionize air to generate odor removing and sanitizing substances (sanitizing ions). Since the first module 110 is separated from the second module 120, the first module 110 is far away from the air in the storage compartment 220 or the air duct 230, so that the damage and the failure of the first module 110 caused by the cooled air or the high-humidity environment in the refrigerator can be prevented, especially the moisture in the cooled air is prevented from entering the first module 110, and the service life of the sterilization device 100 is remarkably prolonged.

The first module 110 may have a power input interface 111, a boost circuit 112, and a high voltage output interface 113 disposed therein. The power input interface 111 is used for connecting an externally provided dc power supply, which may be a control power supply of the air-cooled refrigerator 10, for example, a dc power of 5V or 12V. When the power input interface 111 is connected to a dc power supply, the booster circuit 112 starts operating.

The voltage boost circuit 112 is used for controlled operation in a shutdown mode, a high voltage mode and a low voltage mode, wherein the voltage boost circuit 112 converts the direct current power supply into a first voltage for generating the sterilization ions in the high voltage mode, the voltage boost circuit 112 is used for converting the direct current power supply into a second voltage for heating in the low voltage mode, and the first voltage is higher than the second voltage; when the input power supply stops supplying power to the booster circuit 112, the booster circuit 112 stops operating. The ionizer 121 is configured to be ionized by a first voltage supplied from the voltage boosting circuit 112 in the high voltage mode to release sterilizing ions, and to generate heat under a second voltage supplied from the voltage boosting circuit 112 in the low voltage mode to eliminate condensation.

The boost circuit 112 may include an inverter to controllably invert the direct-current power supply into a high-voltage alternating current whose voltage is a first voltage or a second voltage. The inverter has three working states, and is used for inverting a first voltage, a second voltage and stopping working respectively. The boost circuit 112 may further include auxiliary circuits such as a boost transformer and a protection circuit, etc., and the circuit structure of the inverter, the boost transformer, the protection circuit, etc. are well known to those skilled in the art, and are not described in detail in the description of the embodiment.

The voltage values of the first voltage that satisfies the ionization excitation requirement of the ionizer 121 and the second voltage that can heat the electrodes of the ionizer 121 can be set according to the specification of the ionizer 121. For example, in a specific ionizer 121 of this embodiment, the effective value of the first voltage ranges from 2000V to 5000V, and further may preferably range from 2800V to 4000V, for example, about 3500V; the effective value of the second voltage ranges from 1000 to 1800V, more preferably from 1200V to 1600V, for example, around 1500V.

The high voltage output interface 113 is used for outputting the first voltage, the second voltage, or suspending the output.

The cable 130 is connected to the high voltage output interface 113 of the first module 110 to transmit the first voltage and the second voltage to the ionizer 121. The connection cable 130 may include two cables, and the connection cable 130 has an insulating layer capable of securing insulation of the first voltage and the second voltage. In order to ensure reliable transmission of the high first voltage and the high second voltage and reduce the line loss, the length of the connection cable 130 is required to be not too long and to extend from the arrangement position of the first module 110 to the second module 120. Generally the length of the connection cable 130 is required to be shorter than 100cm, preferably shorter than 30 cm.

The first module 110 is also provided with a voltage feedback port 141. The voltage feedback port 141 is connected to the voltage boosting circuit 112, and is configured to output a feedback voltage corresponding to the first voltage or the second voltage to indicate a boosted state of the voltage boosting circuit 112. The boosting circuit 112 may feed back its operation state to the voltage feedback port 141, and the boosting circuit 112 outputs a feedback signal corresponding to the output voltage through the voltage feedback port, the level of the feedback signal corresponding to the magnitude of the output voltage, so that a relatively high level is output when the first voltage is output and a relatively low level is output when the second voltage is output. And the specific level can reflect the magnitude of the output voltage. So that whether the first voltage or the second voltage is normal can be known through the feedback signal. When the state of the booster circuit 112 is determined, the feedback signal may be compared with a predetermined normal power supply threshold (including a second voltage threshold range corresponding to the second voltage and a first voltage threshold range corresponding to the first voltage), and when the feedback signal exceeds the predetermined normal power supply threshold, it may be determined that the sterilization apparatus 100 is abnormal, and at this time, the sterilization apparatus 100 may be restarted to remove the malfunction.

The voltage feedback port 141 may be integrated with the power input interface 111 as an input, for example, on a multi-port connector. The first module 110 may further include a controlled terminal 142, wherein the controlled terminal 142 is connected to the voltage boosting circuit 112 and configured to receive an external control signal (the control signal may be a control signal sent by the controller 330 for adjusting the operating state of the sterilization apparatus 100 according to the operating condition of the air-cooled refrigerator 10), so that the voltage boosting circuit 112 converts the first voltage or the second voltage according to the control signal.

The input terminal of the first module 110 may be a four-terminal interface (four terminals are the positive and negative terminals of the dc power supply, the voltage feedback port 141, and the controlled terminal 142). The input terminal may be connected to an electronic control board on which the controller 330 is located through a cable, so as to receive a control signal of the controller 330 and return a feedback signal thereto.

The sterilization apparatus 100 may also be connected to a current detection apparatus 150. The current detection means 150 is configured to detect a value of the current supplied to the power input interface 111 for determining an operation state of the sterilization apparatus 100, i.e. the current detection means 150 is used to detect the input current of the voltage boost circuit 112. The current detection device 150 may be included in series with a power line supplying power to the power input interface 111. It is also possible to determine whether the sterilization apparatus 100 is operating normally, using the detected current of the current detection device 150. The current value detected by the current detecting means 150 directly reflects the operating state of the ionizer 121, and if the input current exceeds the preset current threshold range, it can be determined that the sterilization apparatus 100 is abnormal, and at this time, the sterilization apparatus 100 can be restarted to remove the malfunction.

The first module 110 may be disposed within an electronic control box that may be used to define an enclosed receiving cavity in which the first module 110 is mounted.

The ionizer 121 is configured to be ionized by a first voltage to release sterilizing ions, and to be heated at a second voltage to eliminate condensation. Ionizer 121 may include an ionizing head 122. The ionization head 122 is arranged with a first electrode 123 and a second electrode 124 connected to a connection cable 130, the first electrode 123 and the second electrode 124 having a discharge gap therebetween, the discharge gap being configured to be broken down by a first voltage such that ambient air is excited to ionize; and at a second voltage to keep the first electrode 123 isolated from the second electrode 124 and each generating heat.

The ionizer 121 may further include a base forming a mounting cavity for mounting the ionization head 122, one face of the mounting cavity having an opening; and the ionization head 122 is installed such that the discharge gap is exposed to the opening.

The ion generator 121 of the sterilization device 100 may be directly disposed in the storage compartment 220 or disposed in the air supply duct 230. The sterilization apparatus 100 may be used to sterilize a target sterilization compartment of the air-cooled refrigerator 10, or may be used to sterilize the entire interior of the air-cooled refrigerator 10. The sterilization apparatus 100 may be preferably disposed in an air supply duct 230 that supplies air to the target sterilization compartment 220. The first module 110 can be arranged in a foaming layer or other sealing areas of the refrigerator, so that the first module is ensured to be isolated from a humid environment, and the reliability is improved.

Fig. 6 is a schematic exploded view of a duct assembly in the air-cooled refrigerator 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention, and fig. 7 is a schematic view of airflow in the air-cooled refrigerator 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The air supply duct 230 is provided therein with a housing space 226, and the housing space 226 is located outside each air supply duct 230. The first module 110 is disposed in the accommodating space 226. The second module 120 is disposed in an air duct 230. The connection cable 130 electrically connects the first module 110 and the second module 120. The first module 110 controls the second module 120 through the connection cable 130 so that the ionizer 121 ionizes air to generate sterilizing ions.

The sterilization ions can enter the target sterilization chamber 220 from the air supply opening 221 along with the refrigeration air, the diffusion speed is high, the sterilization ions are uniformly distributed in the storage chamber 220 along with the air flow, and part of the sterilization ions can also return to the air duct 230 from the air return opening 222, so that the sterilization ions are uniformly distributed in the storage chamber 220 and the air duct 230. The first module 110 is disposed separately from the second module 120, and the first module 110 is disposed outside the air duct 230, so that the damage and failure of the first module 110 caused by the cooled air or the high-humidity environment in the air-cooled refrigerator 10 can be prevented, and particularly, the moisture in the cooled air is prevented from entering the first module 110. The first module 110 does not occupy the space of the air supply duct 230, so that the air supply duct 230 supplies air smoothly.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the generated sterilizing ions of the ionizer 121 include at least one of singlet reactive oxygen, superoxide radical, peroxy radical, oxyanion, hydroxyl radical, ozone, and hydrogen peroxide.

The connecting cable 130 is installed in a wire slot formed in the air duct assembly. The duct cover 223 is mounted to the front side of the duct foam 225. The wire slot is obliquely arranged, and the second module 120 is arranged below the first module 110, so as to prevent condensed water and the like from entering the first module 110 along the wire slot as much as possible.

The first module 110 can be installed at an inclination angle of at least 7 degrees from the horizontal direction, and can remove the tension of water, thereby preventing water drops from entering the inside. The water blocking component 224 is arranged on the containing space 226 and the front side of the wire groove, when in installation, PE cotton can be pasted on the rear surfaces of the first module 110 and the second module 120 for pre-fixing, and then the air duct cover plate 223 can be installed. PE cotton may also be attached to the entire outer surface of the first module 110.

In the air-cooled refrigerator 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention, high-energy and high-activity radicals such as atomic oxygen (O) and hydroxyl (OH —) are generated by bombardment and excitation of high-energy electrons generated by high-voltage discharge. The high-energy active free radicals directly and frequently and directly collide with the odor gas molecules, when the energy obtained by the odor gas molecules is larger than the binding energy of the molecular bond energy of the odor gas molecules, the original molecular structure of the odor gas molecules is destroyed, the molecular chemical bond is opened, the gaseous reaction is promoted to be rapidly carried out, and radicals and solid particles are generated.

In addition, high-voltage discharge can ionize and decompose partial odor gas molecules at the same time. Under the action of the above principle, the sterilization device 100 is placed in the air duct 230, and sterilization ions are transferred into the storage compartment 220 of the air-cooled refrigerator 10 through circulation of the air duct, so as to achieve the effect of filling the inside of the air-cooled refrigerator 10 and deodorizing and sterilizing the compartments of the air-cooled refrigerator 10. And prevents moisture from condensing on the first module 110 of the sterilizing device 100 by means of an effective placement and sealing means, while allowing condensed water to be drained away even if condensation accumulates.

The present embodiment further provides a sterilization control method for an air-cooled refrigerator, which may be executed by the controller 330 of the air-cooled refrigerator 10 in the foregoing embodiment, and fig. 8 is a schematic diagram of the sterilization control method for the air-cooled refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention, where the sterilization control method further includes:

step S802, acquiring a starting signal for triggering the starting of the sterilization device 100; the activation signal may be determined by detecting an operating condition of the refrigeration system 310 of the air-cooled refrigerator 10. For example, step S802 may include: detecting an operation state of a fan 320 of the refrigeration system 310; when the fan 320 is started and the rotating speed reaches the set rotating speed range, it is determined that the refrigeration system 310 is stably operated. Other means of determining stable operation of the fan 320 include: the rotation speed or voltage of the fan 320 is detected. When the fan 320 is in a stable operation state, the sterilization ions can be ensured to be rapidly diffused, and the local concentration is prevented from being too high. That is, the sterilization apparatus 100 may be started following the start of the blower 320, and may perform the entire sterilization of the inside of the air-cooled refrigerator 10 by using the airflow to transmit the sterilization ions.

Step S804, controlling the boost circuit 112 to operate in a shutdown mode, a high-voltage mode, and a low-voltage mode in a cyclic alternating manner, and counting the number of cycles;

in the high voltage state, the voltage boost circuit 112 converts the input power into a first voltage, so that the ionizer 121 is excited by the first voltage to be ionized to release sterilizing ions. Since the first voltage excites the sterilizing ions more intensely, the sterilizing ions with higher concentration can be ionized for a short time, so as to facilitate the diffusion of the sterilizing ions and protect the sterilizing apparatus 100, and therefore, the excitation needs to be suspended after the short time excitation.

In the low voltage state, the boost circuit 112 may be controlled to convert the input power into a second voltage, so that the ionizer 121 generates heat at the second voltage. Since the temperature of the ionizer 121 is higher than that of the cooling air flow, the problem of condensation is liable to occur by itself, and therefore the ionizer 121 needs to generate heat to eliminate the condensation.

After the low voltage mode, the boost circuit 112 may enter a shutdown mode, with a brief pause, to accumulate energy for the next firing.

The duration of the phase of the high pressure state in each operating cycle may be 500ms to 2s, for example 1 s; and the duration of the phase of low pressure conditions in each operating cycle may be from 20s to 200s, for example from 70 to 80 s; the duration of the phase of the shutdown state in each operating cycle is short relative to the low-pressure state, for example set to 1 to 5 s.

Therefore, the operation process of the sterilization apparatus 100 is a cycle process of high voltage (first voltage excitation), low voltage (second voltage heating), pause and high voltage (first voltage excitation) … ….

Step S806, acquiring a shutdown signal triggering the sterilization apparatus 100 to be shut down;

in the normal operation of the sterilizer 100, when the set sterilization stop condition is satisfied, the shutdown signal is obtained, and the booster circuit 112 is controlled to be turned off. One sterilization stop condition is: detecting the operation state of the refrigeration system 310 of the air-cooled refrigerator 110; after the fan 320 of the refrigeration system 310 is turned off, the booster circuit 112 is controlled to be turned off, that is, the sterilization device 100 is turned off following the turning off of the fan 320.

Another sterilization stop condition is: counting the number of times the ionizer 121 releases sterilizing ions; after the number of times of excitation of the ionizer 121 exceeds the preset number threshold, the booster circuit 112 is controlled to be turned off, and the abnormal number and the number of times of excitation are cleared to wait for the next start. Namely, the cycle number of the operation period is counted; after the number of times of activation reaches the preset number threshold, the sterilization apparatus 100 is turned off until the next time the activation signal is received (since the ionizer 121 is activated once per one operation period, the number of cycles should be equal to the number of times of activation).

The two sterilization stop conditions can be used simultaneously, for example, after the cycle number is over-limit, the fan 320 is still started, and the stop work is completed by the excitation number; if the sterilization time is not reached and the cooling target is completed and the blower 320 is turned off, the sterilization apparatus 100 is turned off by a signal that the blower 320 is turned off.

Step S808, controlling the boosting circuit 112 to be turned off, and resetting respective durations of the boosting circuit 112 operating in the shutdown mode, the high-voltage mode and the low-voltage mode in the cycle period according to the cycle number of the boosting circuit 112, so as to be used when the sterilization apparatus 100 is started next time.

The specific resetting step may include: judging whether the cycle number is smaller than a preset number threshold; if not, shortening respective time lengths of the booster circuit working in the shutdown mode, the high-voltage mode and the low-voltage mode in the cycle period so as to expect that the cycle number of the next cycle operation of the sterilization device can reach a number threshold. That is, if the cooling target is completed and the blower fan 320 is turned off if the number of times of energization (the number of times of energization should be equal to the number of times of energization since the ionizer 121 is energized once per one cycle period) is not reached, the sterilizing apparatus 100 is turned off by a signal that the blower fan 320 is turned off.

The number of cycles of the sterilization operation performed by the sterilization apparatus 100 may be less than or equal to the preset number threshold. However, the sterilization operation performed in the closed environment inside the air-cooled refrigerator 10 necessarily requires a proper concentration of the sterilization ions. And the amount of the released sterilizing ions is directly related to the number of times the sterilizing device 100 is activated.

When this occurs, the duration of each phase of the cycle period can be shortened to complete the cycle as many times as possible at the next cooling.

The sterilization control method for the air-cooled refrigerator in the embodiment determines the number of times of excitation to achieve the required sterilization effect in advance through testing, correspondingly formulates the threshold value of the number of times of circulation, and ensures that the corresponding threshold value of times of excitation can be completed by starting the sterilization device 100 every time as far as possible.

If the number of cycles is greater than or equal to the threshold number, which indicates that the operation of the sterilization apparatus 100 has completed the required number of times of excitation, the respective durations of the step-up circuit operating in the shutdown mode, the high-voltage mode, and the low-voltage mode in the cycle period may be maintained unchanged.

The specific way of shortening the respective time lengths of the boost circuit working in the shutdown mode, the high-voltage mode and the low-voltage mode in the cycle period may be: calculating the ratio of the cycle times to the time threshold; and shortening the respective time lengths of the booster circuit working in the shutdown mode, the high-voltage mode and the low-voltage mode in the cycle period according to the ratio. For example

B is B x n/m, B is the duration of working in the shutdown mode, n is the actual cycle number, and m is a preset number threshold;

c is C x n/m, C is the duration of working in the high-pressure mode, n is the actual cycle number, and m is a preset number threshold;

and D is D × n/m, D is the duration of the low-voltage mode, n is the actual cycle number, and m is a preset number threshold.

Through the resetting, the number of subsequent cycles of the sterilization device 100 can be ensured to reach the threshold number as much as possible.

For example, if the preset threshold is 30 times and the previous cycle of the sterilization operation performed by the sterilization apparatus 100 is only 20 times, the time length of each phase of the sterilization apparatus 100 in each cycle can be shortened to two thirds of the original time length.

The sterilization control method of the air-cooled refrigerator of the above embodiment proposes the operation period of the alternate cycle so that the sterilization apparatus 100 can reliably operate in the application environment where the refrigerator 10 is closed with low temperature and moisture. And through the above-mentioned correction to the cycle, can guarantee the number of times of excitation of the sterilizing unit 100, has improved the bactericidal effect.

The process of controlling the boosting circuit 112 to operate in a cyclically alternating manner further includes: the feedback signal of the voltage boost circuit 112 is detected, and since the level of the feedback signal corresponds to the output voltage of the voltage boost circuit 112, whether the voltage boost circuit 112 outputs the output voltage corresponding to the mode can be determined by using the feedback signal, for example, the feedback signal can be compared with a predetermined normal power threshold (including a second voltage threshold range corresponding to the second voltage and a first voltage threshold range corresponding to the first voltage), when the feedback signal exceeds the predetermined normal power threshold, it can be determined that the sterilization apparatus 100 is abnormal, and at this time, the sterilization apparatus 100 can be restarted to remove the fault.

The step of controlling the boosting circuit to operate in a cyclic alternation mode can further comprise the following steps: the input current of the booster circuit 112 is detected, and it is determined whether the ionizer 121 normally excites sterilizing ions or generates heat using the input current. The input current value directly reflects the operation state of the ionizer 121, and if the input current exceeds the preset current threshold range, it can be determined that the sterilization apparatus 100 is abnormal, and at this time, the sterilization apparatus 100 can be restarted to remove the malfunction.

Fig. 9 is a flowchart of a sterilization control method of an air-cooled refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. The process comprises the following steps:

step S902, whether the refrigeration system 310 is started;

step S904, after the refrigeration system 310 is started, the sterilization device 100 is preheated for a second, for example, the boost circuit 112 may output the second voltage to heat the ionizer 121 for a second;

step S906, after preheating is finished, the booster circuit 112 enters a shutdown mode, and is suspended for B seconds to excite accumulated energy;

step S908, the voltage boost circuit 112 enters the high voltage mode to activate for C seconds, for example, the voltage boost circuit 112 may output the first voltage to make the ion generator 121 release the bactericidal ions for C seconds;

step S910, after the excitation is completed, the boost circuit 112 enters the low voltage mode, and is heated for D seconds;

step S912, accumulating the cycle number n, that is, n is n + 1;

step S914, determining whether the number of cycles n is less than a preset number threshold m, if so, indicating that the sterilization device 100 has not completed the required number of excitations, and if not, indicating that the sterilization device 100 has completed the required number of excitations, and directly jumping to step S920;

step S916, determining whether refrigeration is finished;

step S918, if the cooling is finished, the period parameter needs to be corrected, where C is C × n/m, and B is B × n/m, that is, the sterilization device 100 may complete m times of excitations as far as possible in the next cooling process;

step S920 is to clear the cycle number n, close the sterilization apparatus 100, and wait for the next start-up.

The threshold m of the number of the cycle times and the initial duration of each state are parameters that can be set according to the actual conditions of the sterilization apparatus 100 and the air-cooled refrigerator 10. In addition, step S918 may be completed when the sterilization apparatus is next started, that is, the corresponding parameters are recorded, and the cycle parameters are reset when the sterilization apparatus is next started.

Further, according to the air-cooled refrigerator 10 and the control method of the sterilization device 100 of the air-cooled refrigerator 10, after the refrigeration system 310 is started, the sterilization device is operated periodically, so that the working reliability of the sterilization device 100 is improved, and the requirement of sterilization in the low-temperature and humidity closed air-cooled refrigerator 10 is met.

Thus, it should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that while a number of exemplary embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described in detail herein, many other variations or modifications consistent with the principles of the invention may be directly determined or derived from the disclosure of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be understood and interpreted to cover all such other variations or modifications.

Claims

1. A sterilization control method for an air-cooled refrigerator, wherein a sterilization device is arranged in the air-cooled refrigerator, the sterilization device comprises a booster circuit and an ionizer, the booster circuit is connected through a connecting cable, the booster circuit is controlled to operate in a shutdown mode, a high-voltage mode and a low-voltage mode, the ionizer is used for being excited and ionized by a first voltage provided by the booster circuit in the high-voltage mode to release sterilization ions, and generating heat under a second voltage provided by the booster circuit in the low-voltage mode to eliminate condensation, and the control method further comprises the following steps:

acquiring a starting signal for triggering the sterilization device to start;

controlling the booster circuit to operate in a mode of circularly alternating the shutdown mode, the high-voltage mode and the low-voltage mode, and counting the number of cycles;

acquiring a shutdown signal triggering the sterilization device to be shut down;

and controlling the booster circuit to be closed, and resetting respective time lengths of the booster circuit working in the shutdown mode, the high-voltage mode and the low-voltage mode in a cycle period according to the cycle number of the booster circuit so as to be used when the sterilization device is started next time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein resetting respective durations of the cycle in which the boost circuit operates in the shutdown mode, the high voltage mode, and the low voltage mode in accordance with a number of cycles of the boost circuit comprises:

judging whether the cycle number is smaller than a preset number threshold;

if not, shortening respective time lengths of the booster circuit working in the shutdown mode, the high-voltage mode and the low-voltage mode in the circulation period so as to ensure that the circulation frequency of the next circulation operation of the sterilization device can reach the frequency threshold value.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein,

and if the cycle number is greater than or equal to the number threshold, maintaining the respective duration of the booster circuit working in the shutdown mode, the high-voltage mode and the low-voltage mode in the cycle period unchanged.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein

The starting signal is an indication signal for starting a fan of a refrigerating system of the air-cooled refrigerator; and is

The stop signal is an indication signal for closing a fan of a refrigerating system of the air-cooled refrigerator or an indication signal for indicating that the cycle number reaches the number threshold.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of shortening respective durations of the cycle in which the boost circuit operates in the shutdown mode, the high-voltage mode, and the low-voltage mode comprises:

calculating the ratio of the cycle times to the time threshold;

and shortening the respective time lengths of the shutdown mode, the high-voltage mode and the low-voltage mode of the booster circuit in the cycle period according to the ratio.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after acquiring an activation signal that triggers activation of the germicidal device:

controlling the booster circuit to work in the low-voltage mode and continuously presetting the preheating time; and after the preheating is finished, executing the step of controlling the boosting circuit to circularly and alternately operate.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the boost circuit to operate in a cyclically alternating manner further comprises:

and detecting a feedback signal of the booster circuit, wherein the level of the feedback signal corresponds to the output voltage of the booster circuit, so as to determine whether the booster circuit outputs the output voltage corresponding to the mode or not by using the feedback signal.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein,

the value range of the effective value of the first voltage is 2000-5000V;

the effective value of the second voltage ranges from 1000V to 1800V.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the boost circuit to operate in a cyclically alternating manner further comprises:

and detecting the input current of the booster circuit, and judging whether the ion generator normally excites the sterilizing ions or generates heat by using the input current.

10. An air-cooled refrigerator comprising:

the box body defines a storage chamber;

the air supply duct is used for providing refrigerating airflow to the storage compartment;

the sterilizing device is used for releasing sterilizing ions and comprises a booster circuit and an ion generator which are connected through a connecting cable;

a controller comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a control program, and the control program is used for implementing the sterilization control method of the air-cooled refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 8 when being executed by the processor.