Flexible sealed system and fan control algorithm
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsJohn S. Holmes, Jerry J. Queen, II, Robert M. Bultman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In one aspect, the present invention relates to a refrigeration control system that is modular and contains an algorithm to control the energy and temperature performance of side-by-side, top mount, and bottom mount type refrigerators. The control algorithm uses a two-dimensional control grid to determine the state of the refrigeration system based on the temperature of the freezer compartment and the fresh food compartment. The control algorithm then controls the rate of the fresh food fan, evaporator fan, and the damper and to bring the refrigerator-freezer to a desired state and maintain that state.
Claims28
A method for controlling a refrigeration system, the refrigeration system including a fresh food compartment and a freezer compartment with a damper establishing flow communication therebetween, a sealed system for forcing cold air through the refrigerator compartments, the sealed system including an evaporator fan and a fresh food compartment fan, the refrigerator further including a controller operatively coupled to the damper, the evaporator fan and the fresh food fan, said method comprising the steps of:
- accepting a plurality of control inputs;
- determining a state of the refrigeration system in a two-dimensional logic control grid based upon the control parameter inputs;
- and
- executing an optimal control algorithm for the determined state of the refrigeration system, wherein said step of executing the optimal control algorithm includes continuing to change the determined state to operate the refrigeration system in a new state until the new state reaches a steady state, the new state having parameters that are different than parameters of the control parameter inputs, the change being based on a set of rules, and the steady state being a state in which the fresh food and the freezer compartments are maintained at target temperatures.
A control system for a refrigeration system, the refrigeration system including a fresh food compartment and a freezer compartment with a damper establishing flow communication therebetween, a sealed system for forcing cold air through the refrigerator compartments, the sealed system including an evaporator fan and a fresh food compartment fan, said control system comprising:
- a controller operatively coupled to the damper, the evaporator fan and the fresh food fan, said controller configured to:
- accept a plurality of control parameter inputs;
- determine a state of the refrigeration system in a two-dimensional logic control grid based upon the control parameter inputs;
- and
- execute an optimal control algorithm for the determined state of the refrigeration system, wherein to execute the optimal control algorithm said controller configured to continue to change the determined state to operate the refrigeration system in a new state until the new state reaches a steady state, the new state having parameters that are different than parameters of the control parameter inputs, the change being based on a set of rules, and the steady state being a state in which the fresh food and the freezer compartments are maintained at target temperatures.
A method for controlling a refrigeration system, the refrigeration system including a fresh food compartment and a freezer compartment with a damper establishing flow communication therebetween, a sealed system for forcing cold air through the refrigerator compartments, the sealed system including an evaporator fan and a fresh food compartment fan, the refrigerator further including a controller operatively coupled to the damper, the evaporator fan and the fresh food fan, said method comprising the steps of:
- accepting a plurality of control inputs;
- determining a state of the refrigeration system in a two-dimensional logic control grid based upon the control parameter inputs, the grid including a first axis and a second axis;
- executing an optimal control algorithm for the determined state of the refrigeration system;
- and
- configuring the control grid to contain a selected number of states, wherein said step of configuring comprises the step of partitioning the first axis according to ranges of fresh food compartment temperature, the ranges defined by a fresh food compartment lower target temperature, a fresh food compartment upper target temperature, and at least one of a fresh food compartment minimum allowable temperature, a fresh food compartment alarm temperature and a fresh food compartment high temperature.
A method for controlling a refrigeration system, the refrigeration system including a fresh food compartment and a freezer compartment with a damper establishing flow communication therebetween, a sealed system for forcing cold air through the refrigerator compartments, the sealed system including an evaporator fan and a fresh food compartment fan, the refrigerator further including a controller operatively coupled to the damper, the evaporator fan and the fresh food fan, said method comprising the steps of:
- accepting a plurality of control parameter inputs, wherein said step of accepting comprises the steps of:
- inputting a fresh food compartment temperature and a freezer compartment temperature;
- and
- accepting at least one of an evaporator fan parameter, a fresh food fan parameter, a damper parameter, and a sealed system parameter;
- determining a state of the refrigeration system in a two-dimensional logic control grid based upon the control parameter inputs;
- and
- executing an optimal control algorithm for the determined state of the refrigeration system;
- wherein said step of executing the optimal control algorithm includes:
- comparing set values of the evaporator fan parameter, the fresh food fan parameter, the damper parameter, and the sealed system parameter with desired values determined by the located control grid state;
- and
- adjusting the evaporator fan parameter, the fresh food fan parameter, the damper parameter, and the sealed system parameter to the desired values if the set values are different than the desired values.
A control system for a refrigeration system, the refrigeration system including a fresh food compartment and a freezer compartment with a damper establishing flow communication therebetween, a sealed system for forcing cold air through the refrigerator compartments, the sealed system including an evaporator fan and a fresh food compartment fan, said control system comprising:
- a controller operatively coupled to the damper, the evaporator fan and the fresh food fan, said controller comprising a memory, said memory loaded with a two-dimensional logic control grid, said grid configured to contain a selected number of states and to include a first axis and a second axis, said first and said second axis comprising a plurality of partitions defining said states, said first axis is partitioned according to ranges of fresh food compartment temperature, said ranges defined by a fresh food compartment lower target temperature, a fresh food compartment upper target temperature, and at least one of a fresh food compartment minimum allowable temperature, a fresh food compartment alarm temperature, and a fresh food compartment high temperature, said controller configured to:
- accept a plurality of control parameter inputs;
- determine a state of the refrigeration system in said grid based upon the control parameter inputs;
- and
- execute an optimal control algorithm for the determined state of the refrigeration system.
A control system for a refrigeration system, the refrigeration system including a fresh food compartment and a freezer compartment with a damper establishing flow communication therebetween, a sealed system for forcing cold air through the refrigerator compartments, the sealed system including an evaporator fan and a fresh food compartment fan, said control system comprising:
- a controller operatively coupled to the damper, the evaporator fan and the fresh food fan, said controller configured to:
- accept a plurality of control parameter inputs, wherein to accept the plurality of inputs said controller configured to input a fresh food compartment temperature and a freezer compartment temperature;
- and
- determine a state of the refrigeration system in a two-dimensional logic control grid based upon the control parameter inputs;
- and
- execute an optimal control algorithm for the determined state of the refrigeration system, wherein to execute the optimal control algorithm said controller configured to:
- compare set values of an evaporator fan parameter, a fresh food fan parameter, a damper parameter, and a sealed system parameter with desired values determined by said determined state;
- and
- adjust said evaporator fan parameter, said fresh food fan parameter, said damper parameter, and said sealed system parameter to said desired values if said set values are different than said desired values.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.