DE102016220160A1 - Refrigeration unit with dry function - Google Patents

Abstract

A refrigerating appliance, in particular a household refrigerating appliance, comprises at least one storage compartment (6), an evaporator (8) accommodated in an evaporator chamber (5) separate from the storage compartment (6), a ventilator (12) for driving one between the storage compartment (6) and the Evaporator chamber (5) circulating air flow (13) and a heater (14) which is arranged in one of the evaporator (8) to the storage compartment (6) extending path portion of the air flow (13).

Description

The present invention relates to a refrigerator with dry function, i. a refrigeration device that is able to quickly and effectively dry stored food.

To some extent, almost all refrigerators tend to dry out refrigerated goods stored in them, since moisture evaporated by the refrigerated goods tends to precipitate on an evaporator, and thus the refrigerated goods are lost. This effect is especially pronounced in no-frost refrigerators, in which refrigerated goods and evaporators are spatially separated. In particular, unpackaged leafy vegetables tend therefore in a no-frost refrigerator to fast withering, on the other hand, the dehydration is not intense enough to allow a targeted dehydration of food.

In many no-frost refrigerators, a heater is provided in an evaporator chamber to defrost the evaporator. This heater is only in operation when the evaporator is not cooling at the same time, and even if a fan that circulates air between the evaporator chamber and storage compartment in the normal cooling mode is turned off.

A refrigerator in which a heater is arranged in a storage compartment to dry the contents of the storage compartment, is out JP 2008032392 known. However, the efficiency of this drying is limited. The placement of the heater in the storage compartment itself is not known, the drawing suggests the assumption that it is located at the bottom of the storage compartment. If the compartment is well filled, heat will only have to spread through the dry material to its surface to assist in evaporation; at the same time heat is lost downwards. An attachment of the heater on the dry material is also not satisfactory, since then the blown into the compartment cold air heating and dry material separated from each other.

Object of the present invention is to provide a refrigeration device, which allows a rapid and energy-efficient drying.

The object is achieved by a heater in one of the evaporator to the storage compartment in a refrigeration appliance, in particular domestic refrigeration appliance, with at least one storage compartment, housed in an evaporator chamber separated from the storage compartment, a fan for driving a circulating between the storage compartment and the evaporator chamber air flow extending path portion of the air flow is arranged.

This arrangement of the heater ensures, on the one hand, that the absolute moisture content of the air reaching the heater is low by passing the evaporator in advance, so that the relative moisture content consequently decreases again as a result of the heating at the heater. On the other hand, the heat with the circulating air reaches exactly those points of the dry material at which the air circulation rapid drying is possible. High temperatures of the dry matter at the same time insufficient moisture removal, which can lead to aroma-altering fermentation processes are avoided.

A heat transfer from the heater to the evaporator, which would affect the drying of the air at the evaporator, should be avoided. This can be helped that the heater is located above the evaporator.

In order to minimize this heat transfer, the distance between the heater and the evaporator should generally be as large as possible. The fan can therefore be arranged space and energy saving at the extending from the evaporator to the storage compartment path section of the fan between the evaporator and the heater.

In order to drain the condenser water, the evaporator should be arranged above a condensate drain leading out of the storage compartment to the outside.

In order to ensure a rapid flow of condensed water in a small space, the evaporator is preferably oriented upright.

The power of the heater and the fan should be matched to heat the air flow when passing the heater by at least 20 ° C, preferably at least 30 ° C, because the higher the heating, the lower the relative humidity of the air Reaching the storage compartment.

In particular, the power of the heater and / or the fan can be regulated in a closed loop by means of a temperature measurement in the storage compartment in order to maintain a predetermined setpoint temperature there.

A temperature difference of more than 50 ° is not preferred since the high operating temperature of the heating required for this purpose increases the heat dissipation via the walls of the refrigeration device. This is particularly disturbing if the refrigeration device next to the acted upon with the dry, warm air storage compartment still has at least one other, cool-to-keep storage compartment and heat flows from the heater to this storage compartment.

A control unit of the refrigeration device should support at least one dry operation mode in which simultaneously cools the evaporator and the fan and the heater are in operation.

In addition, however, the storage compartment can also be stored, e.g. for the production of yoghurt or the lactic acid fermentation of vegetables, be usable in a warm storage mode in which at least the heating is in operation without the evaporator cooling.

Furthermore, the control unit can support a cold storage mode in which the evaporator cools and the fan is in operation while the heater is out of operation.

Since the dry mode of operation is typically required only temporarily when the user loads dry material into the storage bin, the controller should be configured to switch to user input in the dry mode of operation.

In order to limit the energy consumption in the dry operation mode, the control unit may be configured to terminate the dry operation mode after a predetermined period of time has elapsed. This runtime can be fixed or adjustable by the user to match the type and amount of dry goods.

If the control unit is connected to a hygrometer, it can end the dry operation mode when it falls below a humidity threshold. Also, this threshold can be fixed or selectable by the user.

Conveniently, the control unit is further configured to send a message about the termination of the dry operation mode to a networked device, which then alerts its user to the end of the drying process by a - preferably acoustic or tactile - signal. After issuing this signal, an explanation indicating the completion of the drying process may be retrievable on a screen of the networked device. By then emptying and reloading the storage compartment, the user can fully exploit the drying capacity of the device while at the same time being able to move away from the refrigeration device during a drying process and do other work. A suitable utility for receiving the message and generating the signal, such as an app for a smartphone, may be included as an accessory to the refrigeration device of the invention or provided for download.

• 1 einen schematischen Schnitt durch ein erfindungsgemäßes Kältegerät; und
• 2 ein Übergangsdiagramm von verschiedenen Betriebszuständen des Kältegeräts.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments with reference to the accompanying figures. Show it

• 1 a schematic section through an inventive refrigerator; and
• 2 a transition diagram of various operating conditions of the refrigerator.

1 shows in a schematic section a part of a housing 1 a refrigeration device. In addition to a fully shown chamber 2 can one or more, in the figure only fragmentary shown chambers 3 to be available. The chamber 2 is through an intermediate wall 4 in an evaporator chamber 5 and a storage compartment 6 divided. A main part 7 the evaporator chamber 5 in which is an evaporator 8th is located between a vertical leg of the partition 4 and a back wall 9 the chamber 2 , another part 10 extends substantially horizontally between a horizontal leg of the intermediate wall 4 and a blanket 11 the chamber 2 , A fan 12 is at the transition between the two parts 7 . 10 the evaporator chamber arranged to a flow of air 13 driving over the part 10 through the storage compartment 6 and finally through the evaporator 8th circulated.

Am related to the direction of rotation of this air flow 13 downstream end of the part 10 is a heater 14 arranged. The heating system 14 can be electrically operated; but it can also be a heat exchanger, if necessary with in a compressor 15 compressed, hot refrigerant can be applied.

If the evaporator 8th cools, ie when either liquid refrigerant is supplied or in the evaporator 8th is present, and at the same time the fan 12 the airflow 13 drives and the heater 14 is in operation, gets out of the storage compartment 6 extracted air at the evaporator 8th cooled, and entrained by this air moisture condenses to a large extent on the evaporator 8th , The performances of the fan 12 and the evaporator 8th are coordinated so that the air after passing through the evaporator has a slightly positive temperature, for example, about 5 ° C, has.

The operating temperature of the evaporator 8th during cooling is preferably above 0 ° C, so that the evaporator 8th no frost forms, but the condensation can flow freely down. Drops in an upper area of the evaporator 8th grow big enough to run down the evaporator, taking smaller drops along the way. Due to the upright orientation of the evaporator 8th This way is long and the amount of water that collects every drop on its way, accordingly large, so that the evaporator is dewatered quickly. To get off the evaporator 8th to catch falling drops, a gutter is sufficient 16 at the bottom of the evaporator chamber 5 whose surface area is not greater than that of the evaporator 8th , Due to the small edge length, the gutter can 16 despite lower, here through the underlying chamber 3 limited height, a steep slope to a condensate drain 17 so that also from the gutter 16 the water runs fast and no longer from the sweeping airflow 13 can be evaporated again.

The condensation drain 17 extends in a conventional manner through a chamber 2 surrounding insulation layer to an evaporation tray 18 , The evaporation tray 18 can be in a machine room of the refrigerator close to the compressor 15 be arranged to be heated by its waste heat.

After drying on the evaporator 8th reaches the air via the fan 12 the heating system 14 , By heating on the heater 14 the relative humidity continues to decrease, so in the storage compartment 6 placed dry material 19 is quickly parched by the sweeping air.

The ratio of the services of heating 14 and fan 12 Determines the temperature difference between air after passing through the evaporator 8th and after passing the heater 14 , If the air eg on the evaporator 8th cooled to 5 ° C and then heated to 40 ° C at the heater, their relative humidity is reduced to about 12%. The higher the temperature of the air in the storage compartment 6 or the lower their relative humidity, the faster the drying. The ratio of the powers may be selectable by the user to provide optimal drying conditions for different types of dry material. While, for example, for aromatic herbs, drying at low temperatures may be desirable, coarse, highly water-containing dry matter such as fruit requires higher temperatures to prevent fermentation.

An electronic control unit 20 is provided to the operation of the compressor 15 , the fan 12 and the heater 14 to coordinate. The control unit is with a user interface 21 connected to receive a command from a user to start the dry operation from there. This operation may specify a duration of dry operation that the user takes into account the type and quantity of dry material 19 entered. Alternatively, the control unit 20 determine this duration on the basis of information provided by the user on the type and quantity of the item to be dried. Furthermore, an upper limit of the duration independent of the type and quantity of the dry matter can be defined; the the control unit 20 under any circumstances.

If in the storage compartment 6 a hygrometer 22 is provided, instead of a desired duration of the dry operation, a limit value of the humidity via the user interface 21 when it falls below the control unit 20 finished the dry operation.

During dry operation, the fan is running 12 and the heater 14 continuously, and the compressor 15 is operated to the extent required to provide continuous cooling by the evaporator 8th to ensure.

If the conditions for a termination of the dry operation are met, the control unit is in the simplest case 20 into a dormant mode over by heating 14 and fan 12 turns off and the refrigerant supply to the evaporator 8th interrupts. Alternatively it can be provided that the user can preselect a temperature at the beginning of a drying process on which the storage compartment 6 after completion of the drying process, and the control unit 20 switch to a cooling mode in which the evaporator 8th supplied with refrigerant and the fan 12 is operated, the heating 14 but stays off.

The refrigeration device can be a network interface 23 , For example, to a wireless network or wireless network, over which the control unit 20 sends a message to a networked device, such as a user's smartphone, to alert the user when a drying process has finished and the product being dried 18 from the storage compartment 6 removed and replaced with fresh.

On the networked device can be installed a special app to the message of the control unit 20 to process. The processing may consist in generating instantaneously - preferably acoustic or haptic - a signal that the user can perceive without having to look at the networked device and provide information read by the user on a screen of the networked device can, if indicated by the signal, activate the screen. But it is also possible to register the refrigerator as a participant in a known text messaging service such as SMS or WhatsApp and use this text messaging service to send the message to the networked device.

The compressor 15 can also run in this idle mode to possibly refrigeration needs of the adjacent chamber 3 cover up; however, the evaporator is 8th cut off the refrigerant circulation by closing valves. The storage compartment 6 is therefore no longer through the evaporator 8th . but possibly even by unavoidable heat flow to the chamber 3 cooled.

In the state diagram of 2 is a circle D for dry operation, a circle 0 for the idle mode and a circle R for the cooling mode. Solid arrows indicate state changes that can be made by the user through an input to the user interface. Automatic state changes, without a corresponding input, can be made from dry operation D to modes 0 and R, but not in the opposite direction.

The storage compartment 6 can also be operated in a warm storage mode, at a temperature above ambient temperature, by fan 12 and heating 14 be operated and the evaporator 8th not supplied with refrigerant. Also such a mode, in 2 labeled W, may be activated by an input on the user interface, but is provided by the control unit 20 at the latest after a predetermined period of time set by the user is automatically ended by switching to the cooling operation mode R.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

casing

2

chamber

3

chamber

4

partition

5

evaporator chamber

6

warehouse specialist

7

Part of the evaporator chamber

8th

Evaporator

9

rear wall

10

Part of the evaporator chamber

11

blanket

12

fan

13

airflow

14

heater

15

compressor

16

collecting channel

17

condensate drain

18

evaporation tray

19

dry material

20

control unit

21

User interface

22

hygrometer

23

Network Interface

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• JP 2008032392 [0004]

Claims (15)

Refrigerating appliance, in particular household refrigerating appliance, with at least one storage compartment (6), an evaporator (8) accommodated in an evaporator chamber (5) separated from the storage compartment (6), a ventilator (12) for driving one between the storage compartment (6) and the evaporator compartment ( 5) circulating air flow (13), and with a heater (14), characterized in that the heater (14) in one of the evaporator (8) to the storage compartment (6) extending path portion of the air flow (13) is arranged. Refrigeration device after Claim 1 , characterized in that the heater (14) above the evaporator (8) is arranged. Refrigeration device after Claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that at the from the evaporator (8) to the storage compartment (6) extending path portion of the fan (12) between the evaporator (8) and the heater (14) is arranged. Refrigerating appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the evaporator (8) via a from the storage compartment (6) leading to the outside condensate drain (17) is arranged. Refrigeration device after Claim 4 , characterized in that the evaporator (8) is oriented upright. Refrigerating appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the power of the heater (14) and the fan (12) are coordinated to the air flow (13) when passing the heater (14) by at least 20 ° C, preferably at least 30th ° C, to warm. Refrigerating appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a control unit (20) supports a dry operation mode (D), in which at the same time the evaporator (8) cools and the fan (12) and the heater (14) are in operation. Refrigeration device after Claim 7 characterized in that the control unit (20) further supports a warm storage mode (W) in which at least the heater (14) is in operation without the evaporator (8) cooling. Refrigeration device after Claim 7 or 8th characterized in that the control unit (20) further supports a cold storage mode (R) in which the evaporator (8) cools and the fan (12) is in operation while the heater (14) is inoperative. Refrigerating appliance according to one of Claims 7 to 9 characterized in that the control unit (20) is arranged to switch to a user input in the dry mode (D). Refrigerating appliance according to one of Claims 7 to 10 , characterized in that the control unit (20) is adapted to terminate the dry operation mode (D) after a predetermined period of time has expired. Refrigeration device after Claim 7 , characterized in that the control unit (20) is connected to a hygrometer (22) and is arranged to terminate the dry operation mode when it falls below a threshold value of the air humidity. Refrigeration device after Claim 11 or 12 , characterized in that the control unit (20) is arranged to send a message about the termination of the dry operation mode (D) to a networked device. Method for operating a refrigeration appliance with the steps: - cooling air at an evaporator (8); - Heating the cooled air and - Feeding the heated air in a storage compartment (6) of the refrigerator. Method according to Claim 14 in which, after completion of the feeding of the heated air, a message is sent from the refrigeration device to a networked device.

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