CN118202210A

CN118202210A - Operating temperature region in super-cooled mode

Info

Publication number: CN118202210A
Application number: CN202280073763.1A
Authority: CN
Inventors: M·劳舍尔; O·扬达; T·埃施纳
Original assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
Current assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
Priority date: 2021-11-05
Filing date: 2022-09-21
Publication date: 2024-06-14
Also published as: EP4426986A1; DE102021212497A1; WO2023078608A1

Abstract

Method (S1-S10) for operating at least one individually temperature-controllable temperature range (2, 4) of a refrigeration device (K), in particular a domestic refrigeration device, in which method: measuring the temperature (T _fridge.meas,T_freezer.meas) of the temperature region (2, 4) (S1, S5); calculating the temperature (T _fridge.calc,T_freezer.calc) of the temperature region (2, 4) from a physical model (M) of the refrigeration appliance (K), which describes the thermal characteristics of the temperature region (2, 4) irrespective of the loading of the article; determining a deviation (delta) between the at least one measured temperature (T _fridge.meas,T_freezer.meas) and the at least one simultaneously calculated temperature (T _fridge.calc,T_freezer.calc) (S7); and automatically determining (S8) whether to switch the temperature zone (2, 4) to the super-cooling mode (S10) according to the magnitude of the deviation (delta). The invention can be used in particular advantageously in domestic refrigeration appliances having a freezer as a temperature range.

Description

Operating temperature region in super-cooled mode

Technical Field

The invention relates to a method for operating at least one individually temperature-controllable temperature range of a refrigeration system, in particular a domestic refrigeration system, in which method the temperature of the temperature range is measured and the temperature range is automatically switched to an supercooling mode. The invention also relates to a refrigerating device having at least one individually temperature-controllable temperature range, each temperature range having at least one temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the temperature range, wherein the refrigerating device can be configured to determine a deviation of the measured temperature and to determine whether to automatically switch the temperature range into the supercooling mode as a function of the magnitude of the deviation. The invention can be applied particularly advantageously to domestic refrigeration appliances having a freezer as a temperature region.

Background

Modern household refrigeration appliances, such as refrigerators and/or freezers, have a so-called super-cooled mode in both the cold and/or freezer compartments. The super cooling mode has the function of reducing the rated refrigerating chamber (air) temperature set in the normal mode used outside the super cooling mode for a period of time, so that the refrigerating capacity of the refrigerating equipment is improved during the period of time as compared with that in the normal mode, and thus, the placed warm articles can be cooled more quickly than in the normal mode. This in turn improves the quality of the food product.

For example, JP-H03137475A discloses a domestic refrigeration appliance in which the supercooling mode has to be activated manually. In addition, some household refrigeration appliances are also known which recognize that a large quantity of warm food has been put in due to a significant change in the temperature of the refrigerating compartment, and then automatically switch to the supercooling mode. In both cases, the duration of the super-cooling mode is limited because the warm articles are already cooled down at this point and the original nominal refrigerator temperature is sufficient to keep the articles at a low temperature. However, the drawbacks of the current methods for automatically detecting when the super-cold mode should be activated are very error-prone.

JP-H05203320a discloses a method for operating a refrigerator in a super-cooling mode, in which the rated temperature in the super-cooling mode is set according to the length of time that the refrigerator door is opened before.

EP3667209A1 discloses a domestic refrigeration appliance comprising a cold air distribution system arranged in a storage compartment, which cold air distribution system has a vertical cold air guide section in which a cold air flow can flow along the rear wall of an inner space in the height direction of the inner space and a horizontal cold air guide section in which a cold air flow can flow in the depth direction of the inner space, which forms a cold air duct in which the cold air flow can flow through the horizontal cold air guide section, between a ceiling and a floor connected to the ceiling, wherein the ceiling has a placement area for the storage, which placement area is formed from a heat-conducting material, wherein the placement area is provided for forming a thermal bridge between the storage placed on the placement area and the cold air flow flowing in the cold air duct in the operating state of the horizontal guide cold air section.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the present invention is to at least partially overcome the disadvantages of the prior art, in particular to provide a temperature zone operation with an improved automatic supercooling mode. Such improvements are particularly relevant to the start time of the activated super-cold mode, the end time of the activated super-cold mode and/or its rated temperature.

The object is achieved according to the features of the independent claims. Preferred embodiments can be found in particular in the dependent claims.

The object is achieved by a method for operating at least one individually temperature-controllable temperature range of a refrigeration system, wherein,

-Measuring the temperature of the temperature zone;

calculating the temperature of the temperature zone from a physical model of the refrigeration device describing the thermal characteristics of the temperature zone irrespective of the loading of the article (i.e. the placement of the article into the temperature zone and/or the removal of the article from the temperature zone);

-determining a deviation between at least one measured temperature and at least one calculated temperature;

-automatically determining from the magnitude of the deviation: whether to switch to super-cool mode for this temperature region.

The advantage achieved by this method is that false triggers for activating the automatic supercooling mode can be avoided, for example if the door is opened for a long time or if the inserted article is placed in the vicinity of a temperature sensor assigned to the temperature zone. Furthermore, the use of the physical model also enables a particularly effective target temperature in the supercooling mode to be determined and set in a targeted manner, as well as a time period for which the temperature range is operated in the supercooling mode to be determined and set in a targeted manner. This in turn allows particularly rapid and efficient cooling of warm refrigeration, thereby achieving energy savings and reducing noise generated by operation of the refrigeration appliance compressor.

The temperature range of the refrigerating device is understood to mean, for example, a coolable storage space which can be closed by an outer door, such as a refrigerating compartment which can be cooled to a temperature above freezing or a freezing compartment which can be cooled to a temperature below freezing. Here, the supercooling mode of the refrigerating chamber may be specially designed to ensure that the relevant region temperature is maintained above the freezing point.

However, a temperature region is also understood to be a chamber arranged in the refrigerated space, which chamber can be closed by an outer door and separated from the refrigerated space by an (inner) door, for example an integrated freezer, refrigerator or other special refrigerator. The temperature zone may be a taste chamber in which the refrigerated should reach an adjustable serving temperature at a specific time or as soon as possible.

The refrigeration appliance may be a refrigerator, freezer, combination refrigerator/freezer, or the like, with or without a freezer compartment and/or other special refrigeration compartment (e.g., taste compartment, etc.). However, the refrigeration device may also be a wine cabinet. In particular, the refrigeration appliance is a domestic refrigeration appliance.

The air temperature of a temperature zone (also referred to as the "zone temperature") is measured by at least one temperature sensor assigned to the temperature zone.

The physical model of the refrigeration device corresponds to a mathematical model approximation description of the thermal characteristics of the temperature region of the actual refrigeration device when operating at the determined nominal region temperature, such as a state description or a state equation of the refrigeration device. The physical model may calculate the temperature of the temperature region, in particular from measured values of plant parameters mapped in the model and/or derived values in actual operation, and from plant-specific geometry and insulation properties, the temperature regulation method used and the ambient temperature of the refrigeration plant. For example, the plant parameters may include power consumption of only one compressor in the refrigeration plant and/or refrigeration circuit, temperature of the refrigeration circuit evaporator, compressor speed, attitude of valves (e.g., refrigeration circuit expansion valve) and shutters, fan speed, thermal power of the heating device during defrost, power consumption of the light source, whether the door sensor outputs a sensor signal, etc. The description of the thermal properties of the temperature region by the physical model thus includes, in particular, the physical model determining the thermal properties of the temperature region based on device parameters or values thereof that are actually determined by the refrigeration device (e.g., measured by corresponding sensors or derived from actual values or states).

In particular, the physical model may also take into account the effect of opening the door on the thermal characteristics of the temperature region. In a particularly simple development, it is provided that a predetermined air quantity exchange with the environment takes place when the door is open. The effect of door opening on the thermal characteristics of the temperature zone can be modeled based on the ambient temperature. In one development, which better describes the actual thermal behavior, the duration of the door opening can also be taken into account: the longer the door opening time, the greater the amount of air exchanged can be assumed.

One development is that the physical model describes the refrigeration equipment disclosed in EP3667209 A1.

Since the time constant of the thermal fluctuations in the refrigerating device is much larger than the time required for calculating the zone temperature, the small time difference between the calculation time for reading the device parameter value in the model plus calculating the required zone temperature and the measured zone temperature is virtually trivial, and therefore the measured temperature and the temperature calculated from the model can virtually exist for the same point in time.

The description of the thermal behavior of the temperature region by the physical model without taking into account the loading of the (device-side undetectable) items means in particular that it does not take into account the insertion of (usually warm) items into the temperature region or the removal of items from the temperature region. Instead, the model may include a description of the item having a fixedly predetermined heat capacity within the temperature region, but the heat capacity is not changed. This is not important because cold items that are already in the temperature region have relatively little effect on the temperature calculation.

If now warm articles are placed in the refrigeration device or temperature zone, this will result in the calculated temperature deviating from the measured temperature for a certain period of time until the articles are sufficiently cooled. The refrigeration device may determine whether an increase in the amount of refrigeration (achieved by the super-cooling mode) is required to effectively cool the article based on the magnitude of the deviation.

For example, model calculations may be performed by a data processing device of the refrigeration equipment, a network server coupled to the refrigeration equipment in data technology, a cloud computer coupled to the refrigeration equipment in data technology, etc., a deviation between the measured temperature and the calculated temperature may be determined, and/or a decision may be made whether to turn on the supercooling mode.

In one embodiment, the region temperature is calculated by means of a physical model only if a deviation is required to be determined. This frees up computing power beyond these stages and consumes less energy. In one embodiment, the refrigeration appliance is arranged to detect opening and closing of a door (outer door and/or inner door) associated with a temperature zone, for example by a door sensor (e.g. magnetic sensor, micro-switch, camera, etc.), and to initiate the method upon detection of opening and/or closing of the door. Door opening and/or closing is considered an indication of the likelihood of the insertion of warm items.

In one development, the temperature range outside the supercooling mode is operated in a normal mode, in which the actual temperature of the temperature range is set or set on the user side to an automatically set higher setpoint temperature.

Switching the determined temperature region to the supercooling mode comprises, in particular: the supercooling mode is activated for this temperature region. This may include, inter alia: switching from its normal mode to super-cool mode for the determined temperature region. If the super-cooling mode is ended, the normal mode may be switched back.

Depending on the magnitude of the deviation, it is automatically determined whether to switch to the supercooling mode for this temperature region, which includes in particular the tendency that the greater the deviation, the more likely the supercooling mode is to be activated or switched on. For example, the decision to turn on the super-cold mode may be made by a data processing device of the refrigeration appliance, a network server that is data technology coupled to the refrigeration appliance, a cloud computer that is data technology coupled to the refrigeration appliance, or the like. The decision whether to switch to the super-cooling mode for a determined temperature region can also be described as follows: a determination is made as to whether to switch the determined temperature region to the super-cooling mode, and if so, the super-cooling mode is activated for that temperature region, otherwise not activated.

One embodiment is to switch to the super-cool mode when the magnitude of the deviation meets or exceeds a predetermined ("first") metric. For example, the metric may be a threshold. For example, the first metric may be determined experimentally or empirically and/or through simulation.

One embodiment is to switch to the super-cooling mode or to activate or start the super-cooling mode after the deviation reaches or exceeds the first measure for a predetermined period of time. This has the advantage that short term anomalies, especially anomalies of the temperature of the region being measured, do not lead to activation of the supercooling mode, thereby further reducing the possibility of errors. For example, if the temperature difference between the measured temperature and the calculated temperature reaches or exceeds x minutes in magnitude, then the super-cool mode may be switched.

One embodiment is to terminate the super-cooling mode when a fixedly predetermined duration of the super-cooling mode is reached or has been reached. Such a duration may typically be as long as 20 hours, but is not limited thereto.

One embodiment is to terminate the super-cooling mode when the super-cooling mode duration associated with the magnitude of the deviation ends. This allows a particularly effective cooling effect to be achieved in the super-cooling mode. Here, it is especially predetermined that: the larger the deviation, the longer the cooling duration. An extension is to define different durations in stages, depending on the different values of the deviation magnitude exceeding the first measure, or depending on the further, even higher, threshold value being reached. The greater the deviation beyond the first measure, the longer the duration. For example, the different durations may be 3 hours, 10 hours, 20 hours, etc.

One embodiment is to terminate the super-cooling mode when the magnitude of the deviation is below a predetermined ("second") measure. This achieves the advantage that the supercooling mode can be terminated precisely when the condition for restoring the normal mode is satisfied for the first time. In this way, a particularly effective cooling effect can be achieved by the supercooling mode compared to a fixedly predetermined duration. The second measure may correspond to the first measure or may deviate from the first measure ("hysteresis"), e.g. higher or lower than the first measure.

One embodiment is to determine the nominal zone temperature in the super cooling mode based on the magnitude of the deviation. This provides an additional or alternative possibility for determining the duration of the super-cooling mode in order to adapt the super-cooling mode to particularly efficient cooling. For example, the larger the deviation, the lower the rated temperature.

In one embodiment, the deviation is determined from a function comprising the temperature difference between the measured temperature and the calculated temperature at a particular point in time. This has the advantage that the supercooling mode can be activated particularly quickly. In one development, this function may be the temperature difference itself. If the temperature difference reaches or exceeds a preset threshold, switching to the super-cooling mode. In another extension, the function may include correlating the temperature difference with other parameters, such as multiplying the temperature difference by one or more particular coefficients and/or adding to one or more particular addends.

In one embodiment, the deviation is determined from a function which relates the temperature difference between the measured temperature and the calculated temperature at several points in time. This may also be referred to as a "time-integrated" temperature difference. By this solution, the supercooling mode can be started automatically, in particular without errors and with effectiveness. The deviation calculated according to this embodiment is in particular a value which is added up by at least two temperature differences determined at different points in time.

In one development, the time-integrated temperature difference comprises the sum of the temperature differences over a (particularly parallel) time window.

One development is that the time-integrated temperature difference corresponds to the sum of the temperature differences Δt (T _i) between the measured temperature T _meas(t_i) recorded at the predetermined time interval T _i after the door has been opened or closed and the calculated temperature T _calc(t_i). In particular, these temperature differences Δt (T _i) may be weighted with individual weights γ _i. For example, the weight γ _i may be determined experimentally or empirically. The predetermined time interval t _i corresponds in particular to a time interval which is greater than the time measurement step or the sampling rate. For example, the time interval may be 3 minutes, 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes, etc. They may be equidistant between them, but need not be. Accordingly, the deviation can be calculated according to the following:

The function may comprise a time-integrated temperature difference or a single temperature difference thereof, typically associated with other parameters, such as a time-integrated temperature difference and/or a single temperature difference thereof multiplied by one or more specific coefficients and/or added to one or more specific addends. For example, the time-integrated temperature difference may also be an average temperature difference over a period of time and/or an average temperature difference of a plurality of summed individual temperature differences.

One development is that the duration of the supercooling mode and/or the setpoint region temperature in the supercooling mode is determined as a function of the duration between door opening and/or door closing. The air mass exchange between the cooling air and the ambient air in the temperature region can thus advantageously be taken into account, which is dependent on the duration between the opening and/or closing of the door.

The object is also achieved by a refrigeration device, in particular a domestic refrigeration device, which is configured to operate the above-described method. The design of the refrigeration device can be similar to the method described above and vice versa with the same advantages.

The refrigeration device may have, in particular: at least one individually controllable temperature range, to which at least one temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the temperature range is assigned; a data processing device arranged to run a physical model of the refrigeration appliance, the physical model describing thermal characteristics of the temperature zone irrespective of user operation, and to calculate therefrom a temperature of the temperature zone; and a device control means arranged to determine a deviation between the measured temperature and the calculated temperature and to decide whether to switch the temperature zone to the super-cooling mode based on the magnitude of the deviation.

Drawings

The above features, features and advantages of the present invention and the manner of attaining them will become more apparent and the invention will be better understood from the following illustrative description of embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 shows a schematic side sectional view of a domestic refrigeration apparatus;

FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of input and output variables of a physical model of a domestic refrigeration appliance;

fig. 3 shows a schematic diagram of functional components of a domestic refrigeration appliance using the physical model in fig. 2;

FIG. 4 shows a possible flow chart for performing the method of the present invention;

fig. 5 shows a graph of calculated temperature and measured temperature versus time for a freezer compartment before and after a warm article is placed in the freezer compartment.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows a schematic cross-sectional side view of a domestic refrigeration appliance K in the form of a combined refrigerator/freezer. For this purpose, the refrigerating device K has a first temperature range in the form of a refrigerating space (also referred to as refrigerating compartment 2) which can be closed with a door 1 and which can be cooled to temperatures above the freezing point, for example down to +2℃. Furthermore, the refrigerating device K has a second temperature region in the form of a refrigerating space (hereinafter also referred to as freezer compartment 4), which can be closed off with a door 3 and is located below the refrigerating compartment 2 and arranged substantially thermally isolated from the latter. The refrigerating compartment temperature T _fridge.meas of the refrigerating compartment 2 and the freezing compartment temperature T _freezer.meas of the freezing compartment 4 can be individually regulated by the appliance control device 5, for which purpose the refrigerating compartment 2 is assigned a corresponding temperature sensor 6 and the freezing compartment 4 is assigned a corresponding temperature sensor 7. The refrigerating compartment 2 and/or the freezing compartment 4 may also be operated independently of each other in the respective super-cooling mode in the normal mode.

Furthermore, the refrigerating appliance K, in particular the appliance control device 5 thereof, can also be provided (for example programmed) to operate a physical model M of the refrigerating appliance K, which describes the thermal properties of the refrigerating appliance 2 and/or the freezing appliance 4 irrespective of the user operation, and to calculate therefrom the refrigerating appliance temperature T _fridge.calc of the refrigerating appliance 2 and the freezing appliance temperature T _freezer,calc of the freezing appliance 4 on the basis of the model. The refrigerating device K may be further configured to determine a deviation Δ between the measured refrigerating chamber temperature T _fridge.meas and/or the measured freezing chamber temperature T _freezer.meas and the calculated refrigerating chamber temperature T _fridge.calc or the calculated freezing chamber temperature T _freezer,calc, respectively, and to determine whether the supercooling mode should be activated for the refrigerating chamber 2 or the freezing chamber 4 according to the magnitude of the deviation Δ.

In a further development, the operation of the physical model M, the calculation of the deviation Δ and the decision whether or not to activate the supercooling mode can be continued during the operation of the refrigeration appliance K. Another development for saving computing power and energy is that these processes of the refrigerating compartment 2 or the refrigerating compartment 4 are only activated when the door 1 or the door 3 is/are recognized as open and/or closed, since warm goods can only be inserted at this time. The door sensor 8 is used to detect whether the door 1 of the refrigerating compartment 2 is opened and/or closed, and the door sensor 9 (e.g., a micro switch or a magnetic switch) is used to detect whether the door 3 of the freezing compartment 4 is opened and/or closed.

For the operation of the physical model M, the device control means 5 can be connected, for example, in terms of data with an ambient temperature sensor 10 or the like, which measures the ambient temperature T _amb or the like.

Fig. 2 shows a schematic diagram of the input variables and the output variables of a generic physical model M of a refrigeration appliance K. The model M comprises a mathematical physical description of the thermal characteristics of the refrigeration equipment K as a function of a plurality of input variables, here comprising, for example:

-an ambient temperature T _amb;

-the rotational speed n _compr of the compressor of the refrigeration circuit;

-rotational speed n _fan of a fan (e.g. a refrigerator fan);

attitude of a flap, for example a valve, an expansion valve, for example a refrigeration device, or an air flap

Whether defrosting is performed ("defr"), if necessary with the heating power introduced into the heating device used for this purpose;

whether the door sensor 8 outputs a sensor signal;

whether the door sensor 9 outputs a sensor signal;

Etc.

If these input variables are actually determined by the refrigerating device K (measured, for example, by corresponding sensors or derived from actual values or states), the freezing chamber temperature T _freezer,calc, the refrigerating chamber temperature T _fridge.calc and/or the evaporator temperature T _evap,calc at the evaporator of the refrigerating circuit can be calculated as output variables by means of the model M.

Alternatively, at least one of the above-mentioned output variables may not be calculated, but may be used as a measured input variable. Thus, in one development, the freezer temperature T _freezer,calc can also be calculated taking into account the measured refrigerator temperature T _fridge.meas and/or the measured evaporator temperature T _evap,meas.

Fig. 3 shows a schematic diagram of functional components of the domestic refrigeration appliance K for calculating the freezer temperature T _freezer.meas using the physical model M in fig. 2. The physical model M runs (for example by corresponding programming) on the first data processing device DV1 and calculates the freezer temperature T _freezer,calc and calculates its deviation delta (also referred to as residual) from the measured freezer temperature T _freezer.meas using the input variables described in fig. 2, optionally including the measured refrigerator temperature T _fridge.meas and/or the measured evaporator temperature T _evap,meas.

For example, the second data processing device DV2 uses the magnitude or value of the deviation Δ or the residual error to automatically determine whether or not to activate the supercooling mode for the freezing chamber 4. The second data processing device DV2 may also be configured to calculate parameters of the supercooling mode, such as the duration and/or the target freezing chamber temperature, as a function of the magnitude of the deviation Δ. The target freezing chamber temperature may be transmitted to the appliance control device 5, which adjusts the freezing chamber temperature to the target freezing chamber temperature for the duration of the super cooling mode.

The first data processing device DV1 may correspond to the second data processing device DV2 or may be a different device. The first data processing device DV1 and/or the second data processing device DV2 may correspond to the device control device 5 of the refrigeration device K. In particular, the device control means 5 may take over all or part of the functions of the first data processing means DV1 and/or the second data processing means DV 2.

Fig. 4 shows a possible flow chart of a method for implementing the invention for activating the supercooling mode of a freezer compartment of a domestic refrigeration appliance, for example freezer compartment 4 of domestic refrigeration appliance K.

In step S1, the freezing chamber 4 is operated in its normal mode. Here, the freezing chamber temperature T _freezer.meas is continuously or quasi-continuously measured (e.g., periodically measured) by the temperature sensor 7.

In step S2, it is monitored by the door sensor 10 whether the door 3 of the freezing chamber 4 has been opened and then closed. If not ("N"), then return to step S1. But if the door has been opened ("J"), model calculation is started by the physical model M in step S3.

In step S4, the freezing chamber temperature T _freezer,calc is calculated by the physical model M.

In step S5, the difference Δt (ti) =t _freezer.meas-T_freezer,calc between the calculated freezing chamber temperature T _freezer,calc and the freezing chamber temperature T _freezer.meas measured at the time point T _i at almost the same time is determined, in particular in terms of quantity.

If according to

If the deviation delta is calculated at different points in time t _i after the end of the door opening process, it can be checked in step S6 if all these time steps t _i＝t₁,...t_n have been completed after step S5. If not ("N"), the corresponding point in time t _i of step S4 will be returned.

However, if this is the case ("J"), the deviation Δ is calculated in step S7 and the magnitude of the deviation Δ is checked in step S8, in particular whether the predetermined criterion ("J") is met or not met ("N") in magnitude, for example a predetermined first measure, such as a threshold value, is met or exceeded. If this is not the case ("N"), the supercooling mode is not triggered, but returns to step S1.

However, if the ("J") criterion is met in step S8, the duration Δt _sc of the super-cooling mode and/or the target freezer temperature may be determined in an optional step S9 by a greater threshold, for example in stages or steps, depending on the magnitude of the deviation Δ. Alternatively, these parameters may also be fixedly predetermined, for example, the duration Δt _sc being determined as 20 hours.

In step S10, the supercooling mode is started or activated. Here, the freezing chamber temperature T _freezer.meas may still be measured continuously or quasi-continuously. Model calculations may also continue in parallel, but are not required. For example, after the end of the supercooling mode, it may return to step S1.

Fig. 5 shows the relationship between the freezing chamber temperature T _freezer,calc calculated according to the physical model M and the freezing chamber temperature T _freezer.meas measured before and after the warm articles are placed in the freezing chamber 4 and the time T (10 ⁵ seconds). Here, the temperatures T _freezer,calc and T _freezer.meas are plotted at T < T _D, i.e. the freezer compartment 4 is still undisturbed when operating in normal mode. The consistency between these two temperatures T _freezer,calc and T _freezer.meas is very high or the temperature difference Δt is very low.

If the door 3 of the freezing chamber 4 is opened, a warm article is put in, and then the door 3 is closed again at time point T _D, the temperature difference Δt increases significantly. Subsequently, the temperature difference Δt (T), here denoted by the temperature difference Δt (T ₃), can be determined at a predetermined point in time after T _D (here, the points in time T _i＝t₁、t₂ and T ₃), so that the deviation Δ can also be determined, for example, according to the following formula:

If the magnitude of the deviation delta reaches a predetermined first measure, for example a corresponding threshold value, then an supercooling mode is started for the freezer compartment 4, here only for a fixed predetermined duration Δt _sc, for example about 20 hours. After the duration Δt _sc has ended, the super-cooling mode of the freezer compartment 4 is terminated and switched back to the normal mode.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments shown.

For example, it is additionally or alternatively also possible to monitor whether the refrigerating compartment 2 should be switched to the supercooling mode by the above-described method. Here, the supercooling mode of the refrigerating chamber 2 may be specially designed to ensure that the refrigerating chamber temperature is maintained above the freezing point.

Generally, the terms "a" and "an" and the like, especially "at least one" or "one or more" and the like, are to be construed as singular or plural unless explicitly excluded, for example, by the expression "exactly one" and the like.

Numerical designations may also include exact numerical designations as well as general ranges of tolerances, provided that they are not expressly excluded.

List of reference numerals

1. Door

2. Refrigerating chamber

3. Door

4. Freezing chamber

5. Equipment control device

6. Temperature sensor

7. Temperature sensor

8. Door sensor

9. Door sensor

10. Ambient temperature sensor

Defr defrost mode

DV1 first data processing device

DV2 second data processing device

K household refrigeration equipment

M physical model

S1-S10 method steps

N _compr speed of compressor

N _fan rotational speed of fan

Time t

T _i evaluation time Point

T _D time point when door is opened or closed

T _amb ambient temperature

Calculated evaporator temperature of T _evap,calc

T _freezer,calc calculated freezer temperature

T _freezer.meas measured freezing chamber temperature

Refrigerating chamber temperature calculated by T _fridge.calc

Refrigerating chamber temperature measured by T _fridge.meas

Delta deviation

Duration of the super-cooling mode at _sc

The attitude of the shutter.

Claims

1. A method (S1-S10) for operating at least one individually temperature-controllable temperature range (2, 4) of a refrigeration device (K), in particular a domestic refrigeration device, wherein,

-Measuring the temperature (T _fridge.meas,T_freezer.meas) of the temperature zone (2, 4) (S1, S5);

-calculating the temperature (T _fridge.calc,T_freezer.calc) of the temperature zone (2, 4) from a physical model (M) of the refrigeration appliance (K) (S4), which describes the thermal characteristics of the temperature zone (2, 4) irrespective of the loading of the article;

-determining a deviation (delta) between at least one measured temperature (T _fridge.meas,T_freezer.meas) and at least one simultaneously calculated temperature (T _fridge.calc,T_freezer.calc) (S7); and

-Automatically determining (S8) according to the magnitude of said deviation (Δ): whether or not to switch to the supercooling mode for the temperature region (2, 4) (S10).

2. The method (S1-S10) according to claim 1, wherein switching to the super-cooling mode (S8) is performed when the magnitude of the deviation (Δ) reaches or exceeds a predetermined first measure.

3. A method (S1-S10) according to claim 2, wherein the super-cooling mode is switched to when the deviation (Δ) reaches or exceeds the first measure for a predetermined duration.

4. The method (S1-S10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the supercooling mode is terminated (S10) when a fixedly predetermined duration (Δt _sc) of the supercooling mode has elapsed.

5. A method (S1-S10) according to one of the claims 1 to 3, wherein the supercooling mode is terminated when a duration (Δt _sc) of the supercooling mode, which duration is dependent on the magnitude of the deviation (Δ), has elapsed.

6. The method (S1-S10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the supercooling mode is terminated when the magnitude of the deviation (Δ) is below a predetermined second measure.

7. Method (S1-S10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the nominal zone temperature (S9) in the supercooling mode is determined as a function of the magnitude of the deviation (Δ).

8. The method (S1-S10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the deviation (Δ) is determined according to a function comprising a temperature difference between the measured temperature (T _fridge.meas,T_freezer.meas) and the calculated temperature (T _fridge.calc,T_freezer,calc) that is present at a determined point in time.

9. The method (S1-S10) according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the deviation (Δ) is determined according to a function (S6, S7) that relates the temperature differences (Δt (T ₃)) present between the measured temperature (T _fridge.meas,T_freezer.meas) and the calculated temperature (T _fridge.calc,T_freezer,calc) at a plurality of points in time (T ₁,t₂,t₃).

10. The method (S1-S10) according to claim 9, wherein the deviation (Δ) corresponds to an addition, in particular a weighted addition (S7), of the temperature differences (Δt (T3)) recorded in a predetermined time interval (T ₁,t₂,t₃) after the door is opened or closed (T _D).

11. Method (S1-S10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the method (S1-S10) is started (S2) when a door opening and/or door closing (t _D) of a door (1, 3) assigned to a temperature zone is detected.

12. The method (S1-S10) according to claim 11, wherein the duration of the super-cooling mode (Δt _sc) and/or the nominal zone temperature in the super-cooling mode is determined from the duration between door opening and/or door closing (t _D).

13. The method (S1-S10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one temperature zone (2, 4) comprises a refrigerating compartment (2) and/or a freezing compartment (4).

14. Refrigeration device (K), in particular domestic refrigeration device (K), comprising:

-at least one individually temperature-controllable temperature zone (2, 4) to which at least one temperature sensor (6, 7) for measuring the temperature (T _fridge.meas,T_freezer.meas) of the temperature zone (2, 4) is assigned;

-setting the refrigeration device to operate a physical model (M) of the refrigeration device (K) describing the thermal characteristics of the temperature zone (2, 4) irrespective of the user-side operation and calculating therefrom the temperature (T _fridge.calc,T_freezer.calc) of the temperature zone (2, 4); and

-Setting the refrigeration device (K) to determine a deviation (Δ) between at least one measured temperature (T _fridge.meas,T_freezer.meas) and at least one simultaneously calculated temperature (T _fridge.calc,T_freezer,calc) and to decide whether to switch to the super-cooling mode for the temperature zone (2, 4) depending on the magnitude of the deviation (Δ).