KR102767976B1 - Refrigerator with plasma generator - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a refrigerator having a plasma generating unit capable of performing sterilization and deodorization of cold air supplied to a storage space using plasma, and more specifically, to a refrigerator having a plasma generating unit capable of performing effective sterilization and deodorization by selectively sterilizing cold air circulating inside a storage space for kimchi or controlling the density of plasma reactive species contained in the cold air.
A refrigerator having a plasma generating unit according to the present invention is characterized by including: a main body provided with a storage space and a circulation passage for circulating cold air; a door for opening and closing the storage space of the main body; a cold air generating means for generating and supplying cold air inside the main body; a circulation fan installed to perform a blowing operation for circulating cold air through the circulation passage; and a plasma generating unit for providing plasma reactive species to the cold air circulated to the storage space through plasma discharge.

Description

Refrigerator with plasma generator

The present invention relates to a refrigerator having a plasma generating unit capable of performing sterilization and deodorization of cold air supplied to a storage space using plasma, and more specifically, to a refrigerator having a plasma generating unit capable of performing effective sterilization and deodorization by selectively sterilizing cold air circulating inside a storage space for kimchi or controlling the density of plasma reactive species contained in the cold air.

In general, refrigerators are home appliances for storing and preserving food at a set temperature. Due to frequent opening and closing of the refrigerator door, the internal temperature changes greatly, and the time of exposure to the outside air is long, making them unsuitable for storing kimchi, a fermented food. As a result, the preservation period of kimchi is shortened, and it is difficult to maintain an appropriate ripening state.

To solve these problems, the kimchi refrigerator was developed as an appliance that exclusively stores and matures kimchi using a refrigeration cycle. It has the advantage of being able to properly mature kimchi according to the user's preference and then stably store kimchi for a long period of time by maintaining an appropriate temperature.

Meanwhile, recently, due to the influence of the Korean Wave such as K-POP, movies, and dramas, kimchi has been gaining attention as a global health food, and exports are rapidly increasing. Accordingly, refrigeration and freezing are used as storage methods for exported kimchi, but refrigeration has a short storage period and freezing has a disadvantage in that freshness decreases, so a kimchi refrigerator using supercooling technology can be suggested, but supercooling storage is only being developed for experimental purposes in the form of small storage units that can store water or beverages.

And exported kimchi is transported in a refrigerated state using ships, etc., and since the export transportation period takes an average of 20 to 40 days, there is a problem of over-ripening, and if stored above the freezing point of kimchi, there is a disadvantage of reduced freshness.

In particular, conventional large kimchi refrigerators have the disadvantage of lacking hygiene and hindering the maintenance of freshness of kimchi due to the growth of harmful microorganisms and the generation of foul odors inside the kimchi storage space when transporting exported kimchi in a refrigerated state for a long time.

In addition, conventional large kimchi refrigerators have limitations in that cold air is not evenly supplied to the kimchi storage space, so kimchi freezes in areas where cold air is oversupplied, and overripes in areas where cold air is not supplied.

Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2006-0080024 "Deodorizing Device for Refrigerator" Korean Patent No. 10-0820806 "Deodorizing Device for Refrigerator" Japanese Publication Patent JP2003-079716A "Negative ion generator for use in refrigerators, indoors, automobiles, and pet breeding" Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2004-0025131 "Kimchi refrigerator with internal cold air circulation function"

The present invention has been proposed with the above contents in mind, and its purpose is to provide a refrigerator having a plasma generating unit capable of performing sterilization and deodorization of cold air inside a storage space using plasma.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator having a plasma generating unit that can improve the generation characteristics of plasma reactive species and the mixing characteristics of cold air and plasma reactive species, and selectively sterilize cold air circulating inside a storage space for kimchi or control the density of plasma reactive species contained in the cold air, thereby performing effective sterilization and deodorization.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator having a plasma generating unit capable of effectively storing kimchi for a long period of time by evenly supplying cold air to the storage space of kimchi, preventing over-ripening of kimchi, and maintaining freshness.

In order to achieve the above object, a refrigerator having a plasma generating unit according to the present invention is characterized by including: a main body provided with a storage space and a circulation passage for circulating cold air; a door for opening and closing the storage space of the main body; a cold air generating means for generating and supplying cold air inside the main body; a circulation fan installed to perform a blowing action for circulating cold air through the circulation passage; and a plasma generating unit for providing plasma reactive species to the cold air circulated to the storage space through plasma discharge.

And, a refrigerator having a plasma generating unit according to the present invention is characterized by including: a main body provided with a storage space and a circulation passage for circulating cold air; a door for opening and closing the storage space of the main body; a cold air generating means for generating and supplying cold air inside the main body; a circulation fan installed to perform a blowing operation for circulating cold air through the circulation passage; a plasma generating unit for providing plasma reaction species to cold air circulated to the storage space through plasma discharge; and a perforated plate formed to supply cold air to an upper portion of the storage space connected to the circulation passage.

The above-mentioned perforated plate is formed with a structure in which a plurality of cold air introduction holes are perforated in a plate-shaped body, and in order to evenly distribute the amount of cold air entering, the plate-shaped body is composed of a corrugated plate having a plurality of ridges and valleys, and the cold air introduction holes can be perforated in the inclined surface between the ridges and valleys.

The plasma generating unit may include: a plasma housing installed in the circulation passage and having an air passage; a first electrode and a second electrode installed in the air passage; a high voltage generating unit that applies a high voltage to the first electrode and the second electrode; and an opening/closing means that selectively opens/closes the air passage.

Preferably, the plasma generating unit may be configured to include: a plasma enclosure provided with a partition wall so that a zigzag-shaped air passage is provided for forming a vortex and installed in the circulation passage; a first electrode and a second electrode installed facing each other on the partition wall with the air passage therebetween; a high-voltage generating unit that applies a high voltage to the first electrode and the second electrode; a bypass unit formed in the plasma enclosure so that cold air can selectively pass through the first electrode and the second electrode; and an opening/closing means that selectively opens/closes the bypass unit and the air passage.

The above plasma container may be formed as a cylindrical container body having a container inlet formed at the bottom of one side and a container exhaust port formed at the other side to communicate with the bypass section, and a structure in which the bulkhead is installed inside the container body so as to provide the air passage in the '∩' configuration.

The above bypass section may be formed in a structure in which a bypass inlet is formed at the bottom and a bypass exhaust port is formed at the top, extending in a tubular shape to the above body so as to communicate with the above body exhaust port.

The above opening/closing means may be composed of a damper plate that selectively opens/closes the body exhaust port and the bypass inlet port, and a damper having a driving motor whose rotation shaft is connected to the damper plate.

A refrigerator having a plasma generating unit according to the present invention may further include a plasma control fan installed in the bypass unit to control the flow of cold air passing through the plasma generating unit; and a control unit that controls the operation of the opening/closing means and the plasma control fan according to a time set by an input unit.

Preferably, a refrigerator having a plasma generating unit according to the present invention may further include a plasma control fan installed in the bypass unit to control the flow of cold air passing through the plasma generating unit; a plasma density measuring module installed inside the bypass unit or at the body inlet portion to measure the density of plasma reactive species included in cold air; and a control unit to compare the density of plasma reactive species input and set by the input unit with the density of plasma reactive species measured by the plasma density measuring module to control the operation of the opening/closing means and the plasma control fan.

The above body may be configured to include an outer case formed so as to have a space portion inside; and an inner case formed on one side and the other side of the inner side of the outer case so as to have the storage space inside.

The above circulation passage may include a first circulation passage formed on the outside of the inner case on one side based on the door, and a second circulation passage formed on the outside of the inner case on the other side.

And, the main body may include a first cold air supply port formed on the upper side of the inner case on one side to connect the first circulation passage and the storage space, a second cold air supply port formed on the upper side of the inner case on the other side to connect the second circulation passage and the storage space, a first cold air discharge port formed on the lower side of the inner case on one side to connect the first circulation passage and the storage space, and a second cold air discharge port formed on the lower side of the inner case on the other side to connect the second circulation passage and the storage space.

The above circulation fan may include a plurality of first upper circulation fans installed at an upper portion of the first circulation passage in contact with the first cold air supply port; a plurality of second upper circulation fans installed at an upper portion of the second circulation passage in contact with the second cold air supply port; a plurality of first lower circulation fans installed at a lower portion of the storage space in contact with the first cold air discharge port; and a plurality of second lower circulation fans installed at a lower portion of the storage space in contact with the second cold air discharge port.

According to a refrigerator having a plasma generator according to the present invention, a plasma generator is provided in a circulation passage through which cold air circulates, so that plasma discharge occurs, and during this plasma discharge process, hydroxyl radicals (OH-) and oxygen-based active species are formed, thereby performing sterilization and deodorization functions. Therefore, when applied to a kimchi refrigerator for export that requires long-term transportation, there is an effect of effectively transporting and storing kimchi.

According to a refrigerator having a plasma generating unit according to the present invention, the first electrode and the second electrode of the plasma generating unit are formed to face each other in an air passage, so that the plasma generating efficiency is relatively improved, and the plasma housing having a partition wall is provided in the plasma generating unit so that cold air moves in a curved space, so that a vortex is formed, so that the contact efficiency between the plasma reaction species and the cold air is relatively increased, and the cold air and the plasma reaction species are evenly mixed, so that the sterilization and deodorization efficiency is significantly increased. In addition, since the plasma generating unit is provided with a bypass unit and an opening/closing means, the cold air circulating inside the kimchi storage space can be selectively sterilized or the density of the plasma reaction species can be controlled, so that effective sterilization and deodorization can be performed, which has the advantage of being able to.

The refrigerator having a plasma generating unit according to the present invention can evenly supply cold air to the storage space through the distribution action of the perforated plate to maintain an even storage temperature throughout, thereby preventing overripeness and maintaining freshness. Accordingly, when applied as a kimchi refrigerator for export that requires long-term transportation, it has the advantage of being able to effectively transport and store kimchi.

Figure 1a is a front view showing a refrigerator having a plasma generating unit according to one embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 1b is a plan view showing a refrigerator having a plasma generating unit according to one embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 1c is a side view showing a refrigerator having a plasma generating unit according to one embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2a is a cross-sectional view showing a refrigerator having a plasma generating unit according to one embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2b is a cross-sectional view showing a refrigerator having a plasma generating unit according to one embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2c is a cross-sectional side view showing a refrigerator having a plasma generating unit according to one embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing a plasma generating unit of a refrigerator having a plasma generating unit according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIGS. 4A and 4B are perspective views showing a plasma generating unit of a refrigerator having a plasma generating unit according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4A is a drawing showing a path of movement of cold air when the plasma generating unit is in operation, and FIG. 4B is a drawing showing a path of movement of cold air when the plasma generating unit is not in operation.
Figure 5 is an enlarged view of section A of Figure 2a, showing the punching plate portion in an enlarged manner.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings, and identical or similar components will be described with the same reference numbers.

Meanwhile, in each drawing, a detailed description of the configuration and its operation and effect, which can be easily understood by a person with ordinary knowledge in this field from general techniques, is briefly or omitted. In addition, since the present invention is characterized by a refrigerator having a plasma generating unit, the parts related thereto are mainly illustrated and described, and the description of the remaining parts is briefly or omitted.

FIG. 1a is a front view showing a refrigerator having a plasma generating unit according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1b is a plan view showing a refrigerator having a plasma generating unit according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1c is a side view showing a refrigerator having a plasma generating unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2a is a sectional view showing a refrigerator having a plasma generating unit according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2b is a plan sectional view showing a refrigerator having a plasma generating unit according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2c is a side sectional view showing a refrigerator having a plasma generating unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a plasma generating unit of a refrigerator having a plasma generating unit according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing part B of FIG. 2a, and FIGS. 4a and 4b are perspective views showing a plasma generating unit of a refrigerator having a plasma generating unit according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein FIG. 4a is a diagram showing a path of movement of cold air when the plasma generating unit is in operation, and FIG. 4b is a diagram showing a path of movement of cold air when the plasma generating unit is not in operation.

Referring to FIGS. 1A to 4B, a refrigerator having a plasma generating unit according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a main body (1), a door (2), a cold air generating means (3), a circulation fan (4), a perforated plate (6), and a plasma generating unit (8) so as to perform sterilization and deodorization of the interior of a storage space using plasma.

The main body (1) is a component formed in a roughly hexahedral shape that serves as the main body of the refrigerator, and has a storage space (15) and a circulation passage (16) for circulating cold air provided inside.

The main body (1) is composed of an outer case (11) surrounding the outer periphery and an inner case (12) installed longitudinally on the left and right sides to form a storage space inside the outer case (11).

A circulation passage (16) is provided between the inner surface on both sides of the outer case (11) and the outer surface of the inner case (12), and a door installation opening in which a door (2) is installed is provided on the front of the outer case (11).

And the outer case (11) is formed in a roughly hexahedral shape by a plate material having excellent insulation properties and rigidity capable of supporting the load of kimchi (not shown) placed on the loading platform (14). For example, the plate material may be an insulating plate having a structure in which an insulating material (113) is embedded between an outer plate (111) and an inner plate (112).

The above circulation passage (16) is composed of a first circulation passage (161) formed on one side of the inner case (12) with respect to the door (2) and a second circulation passage (162) formed on the other side of the inner case (12).

The inner case (12) is configured by installing partition panels, etc. in the longitudinal direction on one side and the other side of the storage space so that a storage space (15) is provided in the central part of the outer case (11) and circulation passages (16) are provided on both sides.

A first cold air supply port (122) in the form of an opening is formed on the upper side of one side of the inner case (12) to connect the first circulation passage (161) and the storage space (15), and a second cold air supply port (123) in the form of an opening is formed on the upper side of the other side of the inner case (12) to connect the second circulation passage (162) and the storage space.

And, a first cold air discharge port (124) in the form of an opening is formed on the lower side of one side of the inner case (12) to connect the first circulation passage (161) and the storage space, and a second cold air discharge port (125) in the form of an opening is formed on the lower side of the other side of the inner case (12) to connect the second circulation passage (162) and the storage space.

Meanwhile, the plasma generator (8) is a component that provides plasma reaction species to cold air circulated to the storage space (15) through plasma discharge, and is equipped with a plasma housing (81), a first electrode (82), a second electrode (83), a high voltage generator (84), a bypass unit (85), and a switching means (86).

In addition, the plasma generation unit (8) is composed of a low-temperature atmospheric pressure plasma sterilization mechanism (Surface Dielectric Barrier Discharge, SDBD) that utilizes oxygen ( _O2 ) and moisture ( _H2O ) contained in general air that constitutes the atmosphere without a separate discharge gas such as argon or helium for plasma discharge.

As is well known, the low-temperature atmospheric pressure plasma sterilization mechanism is that when oxygen and moisture recombine through an ionization process in the plasma during the plasma discharge process, plasma reactive species such as hydroxyl radicals (OH-), oxygen-based active species, etc. are generated. Since these plasma reactive species have oxidizing power, they can be used for sterilization and deodorization.

The plasma body (81) is installed in the circulation passage (16) and is configured to have a zigzag-shaped air passage provided by a bulkhead (812). If it can effectively sterilize cold air moving through the circulation passage, it can be formed in various shapes.

For example, the plasma container (81) has a cylindrical body (811) formed into a substantially rectangular shape by an upper plate (811a), a lower plate (811b), and both side plates (811c) made of plates, a body inlet hole (813) formed on a lower side of one side of the body (811), and a body exhaust hole (814) formed on the other side plate (811c) of the body (811) to communicate with a bypass section (85). A bulkhead (812) is installed inside the body (811) so that an air passage (a) having a substantially '∩' structure is provided, and is formed of a plate so that a movement space (815) through which cold air moves is provided in the upper portion, and has a lower vertical height than both side walls (811c) of the plasma container (81). And, a body installation plate (not shown) is installed in the circulation passage (16) where the plasma body (81) is installed. This body installation plate may be formed of a plate material in which an opening is formed to allow cold air to flow only in the area where the plasma body (81) is installed.

The first electrode (82) and the second electrode (83) are installed facing each other with an air passage (a) between them. The first electrode (82) is installed on the side wall (811c) to perform the function of a high-voltage electrode, and the second electrode (83) is installed on the inner surface of the partition wall (812) facing the side wall (811c) to perform the function of a ground electrode.

The high voltage generator (84, indicated by a symbol in FIG. 3) is a voltage applying means that applies a high voltage to the first electrode (82) and the second electrode (83), and can be configured in various ways without special restrictions as long as it has a capacity that matches the air sterilization treatment flow rate. For example, the high voltage generator (84) can apply a voltage of 1 to 20 kV with a frequency in the range of 10 Hz to 40 MHz, and at this time, by applying the above-mentioned voltage in a pulse form, power consumption can be minimized. Since the detailed configuration is known, it can be modified in various ways and a specific description is omitted.

The bypass section (85) is a component that allows the cold air to flow along the circulation passage (18) through a bypass path without passing through the first and second electrodes (82, 83) when there is no need to sterilize the cold air moving through the circulation passage. It is formed in the plasma enclosure (81) so that the cold air can selectively pass through the first electrode and the second electrode.

The bypass section (85) is formed in the main body (811) in communication with the main body exhaust hole (814) and is extended in a tubular shape by a plate. The bypass section (85) is structured such that a bypass inlet hole (852) is formed at the bottom and a bypass exhaust hole (meaning an opening where a plasma control fan is installed) is formed at the top.

The opening/closing means (86) is a component that selectively opens/closes the bypass section (85) and the air passage (a), and includes a damper plate (861) that selectively opens/closes the body exhaust hole (814) and the bypass inlet hole (852), and a driving motor (862) whose rotation shaft is connected to the damper plate (861).

Meanwhile, the plasma generating unit (8) is equipped with a plasma control fan (87) and a control unit (not shown) for more effective sterilization of cold air.

The plasma control fan (87) is a component installed in the bypass section (85) to control the flow of cold air passing through the plasma generating section (8) and is configured as a blower fan.

The control unit (not shown) performs the overall control operation of the refrigerator including the cold air generating means (3) and also controls the operation of the opening/closing means (86) and the plasma control fan (87) according to the time set by the input unit (not shown), and is composed of a control panel on which a microcomputer, various electric and electronic components, and a control circuit are mounted. Here, the input unit may be composed of a touch panel, an operation button, etc., and is configured so that the user can input an input signal for operating the cold air generating means (3) and also apply an input signal for operating the opening/closing means and the plasma control fan.

For example, when the high voltage generator (84) is operated and applies a high voltage to the first electrode (82) and the second electrode (83), the control unit controls the operation of the drive motor (862) so that the damper plate (861) opens the body exhaust hole (814) and seals the bypass inlet hole (852), and when the high voltage generator (84) is not operated, the control unit controls the operation of the drive motor (862) so that the damper plate (861) seals the body exhaust hole (852) and opens the bypass inlet hole (814). At the same time, the control unit controls the operation of the plasma control fan (87) so that cold air flows quickly.

Meanwhile, the plasma generation unit (5) may be equipped with a plasma density measurement module (not shown) for more effective sterilization of cold air.

The plasma density measurement module is installed inside the bypass section (85) or in the body inlet hole (813) of the plasma body (81) and performs the function of measuring the density of plasma reaction species included in cold air and applying it to the control unit. It can be installed by selecting from among known plasma density measurement modules or plasma density measurement devices.

As described above, the control unit is configured to control the operation of the high voltage generator (84), the switching means (86), and the plasma control fan (87) based on the set time, and to compare the density of plasma reaction species input by the input unit and the density of plasma reaction species measured by the plasma density measurement module to control the operation of the switching means and the plasma control fan.

For example, when the density of the plasma reactive species applied from the plasma density measurement module reaches a set density during the operation of the high-voltage generation unit (84), the control unit controls the operation of the drive motor (862) of the opening/closing means (86) so that the damper plate (861) seals the exhaust hole (814) and opens the bypass inlet hole (852), thereby stopping the operation of the high-voltage generation unit and opening the bypass inlet hole (852). At the same time, when the density of the plasma reactive species applied from the plasma density measurement module falls within a relatively high density range (hereinafter, high-speed rotation range), the control unit controls the plasma control fan (87) to rotate at high speed so that cold air flows quickly, and when the density of the plasma reactive species falls within a range lower than the high-speed rotation range, the control unit controls the plasma control fan (87) to rotate at low speed.

The door (2) is an opening/closing part for opening and closing the storage space of the main body (1) and is installed in the door installation opening of the outer case (11).

There is no particular limitation on the shape or structure of the door (2) as long as it can be opened and closed while stably sealing the storage space, but in this embodiment, it is composed of a first door (21) connected to one side of the door installation opening of the outer case (11) via a hinge member (23), and a second door (22) connected to the other side of the door installation opening of the outer case (11) via a hinge member (23).

The cold air generating means (3) is a component that generates and supplies cold air inside the main body (1), and is configured as a cooling device having various cooling cycles without any special restrictions as long as it can form the air in the circulation passage (16) into cold air of a desired temperature, and the cold air discharge unit (32) of the cooling device is arranged in the circulation passage (16).

For example, the cold air generation means (3) can be configured as a supercooling refrigeration unit (not shown) that supercools brine supplied from an evaporator described below to a preset reference supercooling temperature through a heat exchange process.

The supercooling refrigeration unit is a component that provides a cold source to the circulation passage for forming cold air, and is provided with a brine tank (not shown), a brine pump (not shown), a compressor (not shown), a condenser (not shown), a receiver (not shown), a filter dryer (not shown), an expansion valve (not shown), an evaporator (not shown), and a gas-liquid separator (not shown). It can be configured as a device commonly referred to as a brine refrigerator. Since this brine refrigerator is a well-known cooling device, a detailed description is omitted. Here, the brine tank is a part that receives brine that has been cooled through a cooling cycle of the compressor, condenser, receiver, filter dryer, expansion valve, and evaporator, and the brine pump can be configured to supply brine of the brine tank to a cooling pipe, which is a cold air discharge unit (32) installed in the circulation passage, to generate cold air.

The circulation fan (4) is a component installed to perform a blowing operation of circulating cold air through a circulation passage (16) as shown in FIGS. 2a and 2c, and is provided with a first upper circulation fan (41), a second upper circulation fan (42), a first lower circulation fan (43), and a second lower circulation fan (44).

The first upper circulation fan (41) is installed at the upper part of the first circulation passage (161) in contact with the first cold air supply port (122), and multiple fans are installed to form one row.

The second upper circulation fan (42) is installed in the second circulation passage (162) in contact with the second cold air supply port (123), and is installed in multiple units facing the first upper circulation fan (41).

The first lower circulation fan (43) is installed at the bottom of the storage space in contact with the first cold air discharge port (124) and is installed in multiple units to form one row, and the second lower circulation fan (44) is installed at the bottom of the storage space in contact with the second cold air discharge port (125) and is installed in multiple units to face the first lower circulation fan (43).

Attached drawing Figure 5 is an enlarged view of section A of Figure 2a, showing the punching plate portion in an enlarged manner.

Referring to Figure 5, the perforated plate (6) is a component placed at the bottom of the cold air distribution unit (5) to disperse cold air, and is formed with a structure in which a number of cold air inlet holes (62) are perforated in the plate-shaped body (61).

In particular, the punched plate (6) is formed as a plate-shaped body (61) and is composed of a corrugated plate having a number of ridges (63) and grooves (64) to evenly distribute the inflow of cold air.

The cold air inlet hole (62) is perforated in the inclined surface between the floor (63) and the valley (64) so that the cold air can enter at an angle.

Meanwhile, a refrigerator having a plasma generating unit according to one embodiment of the present invention may have a storage space temperature detection unit (not shown) such as a temperature sensor installed in the inner case to detect the temperature of the storage space (15), and may also have a circulation passage temperature detection unit (not shown) configured to measure the temperature of cold air flowing in the circulation passage (16).

The unexplained reference numeral 31 of Fig. 2a is a body in which a cooling device (3) is accommodated, and a control unit (not shown) is built into the interior. Operating buttons, lamps, display units, etc. are installed. The unexplained reference numeral 18 of Fig. 2a is a rolling wheel such as a caster.

Below, the operation of a refrigerator having a plasma generating unit according to one embodiment of the present invention is briefly described.

As shown in Fig. 2a, a refrigerator in which a main body (1), a cold air generating means (3), a circulation fan (4), and a plasma generating unit (8) are assembled is stored by placing kimchi or a kimchi container on a loading platform (14) and closing the door (2), so that kimchi can be stored while maintaining the temperature set under the control of a control unit (not shown).

For example, when the cold air generating means (3) is operated under the control of the control unit and cold heat is released through the cold air discharge unit (32), the temperature of the air received in the circulation passage (16) is lowered to form cold air, and when the circulation fan (4) is operated, a circulation process is performed in which the cold air flows into the storage space (15) through the circulation passage (16). At this time, a cold air circulation path is formed by the first upper circulation fan (41) and the first lower circulation fan (43) in the first circulation passage (161), and a cold air circulation path is formed by the second upper circulation fan (42) and the second lower circulation fan (44) in the second circulation passage (162), so that the internal temperature of the storage space (15) can be maintained at a set temperature.

And, when cold air flows into the first circulation passage (161), the plasma generator (8) is provided, so that the high voltage generator (84) operates under the control of the control unit to apply a high voltage to the first electrode (82), and plasma discharge occurs according to the known low temperature atmospheric pressure plasma sterilization mechanism generation principle. In this plasma discharge process, when oxygen and moisture undergo an ionization process in the plasma and recombine, hydroxyl radicals (OH-) and oxygen-based active species are formed, thereby performing sterilization and deodorization.

At this time, since the first electrode (82) and the second electrode (83) are formed to face each other in the air passage, not only is the plasma generation volume relatively increased, but also since a partition wall (812) is provided inside the plasma container (81), the cold air moves to a curved space, so that a vortex is formed, and the contact efficiency between the cold air and plasma reaction species such as hydroxyl radicals (OH-) is relatively increased, and since the cold air and the plasma reaction species are evenly mixed, the sterilization and deodorization efficiency is significantly increased.

After the sterilization and deodorization of the plasma generator (8) described above is completed, the cold air flowing through the first circulation passage (161) enters the storage space (15) through the first cold air supply port (122), and the cold air flowing through the second circulation passage (162) enters the storage space (15) through the second cold air supply port (123) and then changes direction downward and moves toward the perforated plate (6).

In this way, when cold air flows through the perforated plate (6), the cold air is dispersed as it passes through the cold air inlet hole (62), so that the cold air is evenly supplied to the storage space (15). At this time, the cold air inlet hole (62) of the perforated plate (6) is perforated on the inclined surface between the ridge (63) and the groove (64), so that the cold air flow is induced in a diagonal direction to form turbulence, so that the storage temperature can be maintained evenly throughout through the cold air dispersion, so that overripeness can be prevented and freshness can be maintained, so that it can be applied to kimchi refrigerators for export that require long-term transportation.

The terms "include," "comprise," or "have" as used herein, unless otherwise specifically stated, imply that the corresponding component may be present, and therefore should be interpreted as including other components rather than excluding other components. All terms, including technical or scientific terms, unless otherwise defined, have the same meaning as commonly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains. Commonly used terms, such as terms defined in a dictionary, should be interpreted as being consistent with their contextual meaning in the relevant art, and shall not be interpreted in an ideal or overly formal sense, unless expressly defined in the present invention.

Although the configuration and operation of a refrigerator having a plasma generating unit according to one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, this is exemplary, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that some of the above-described embodiments can be substituted and modified without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention.

Therefore, it should be understood that the scope of protection of the present invention extends to the invention described in the patent claims and equivalents thereof.

1: Body 2: Door
3: Cooling generating means 4: Circulation fan
41: 1st upper circulation fan 42: 2nd upper circulation fan
43:1st lower circulation fan 44:2nd lower circulation fan
6: Perforation plate 8: Plasma generator
81: Plasma vessel 82: First electrode
83: Second electrode 84: High voltage generator
85: Bypass section 86: Switching means

Claims (11)

In the refrigerator,
A main body provided with a storage space and a circulation passage for circulation of cold air; a door for opening and closing the storage space of the main body; a cold air generating means for generating and supplying cold air inside the main body; a circulation fan installed to perform a blowing action for circulating cold air through the circulation passage; and a plasma generating unit for providing plasma reactive species to the cold air circulated to the storage space through plasma discharge;
A refrigerator having a plasma generating unit, characterized in that the plasma generating unit includes: a plasma housing installed in the circulation passage and having a partition wall so that a zigzag-shaped air passage is provided for forming a vortex; a first electrode and a second electrode installed facing each other on the partition wall with the air passage therebetween; a high-voltage generating unit that applies high voltage to the first electrode and the second electrode; a bypass unit formed in the plasma housing so that cold air can selectively pass through the first electrode and the second electrode; and an opening/closing means that selectively opens/closes the bypass unit and the air passage.

In the refrigerator,
A body provided with a storage space and a circulation passage for circulation of cold air; a door for opening and closing the storage space of the body; a cold air generating means for generating and supplying cold air inside the body; a circulation fan installed to perform a blowing operation for circulating cold air through the circulation passage; a plasma generating unit for providing plasma reaction species to cold air circulated to the storage space through plasma discharge; and a perforated plate formed to supply cold air to the upper portion of the storage space connected to the circulation passage;
A refrigerator having a plasma generating unit, characterized in that the plasma generating unit includes: a plasma housing installed in the circulation passage and having a partition wall so that a zigzag-shaped air passage is provided for forming a vortex; a first electrode and a second electrode installed facing each other on the partition wall with the air passage therebetween; a high-voltage generating unit that applies high voltage to the first electrode and the second electrode; a bypass unit formed in the plasma housing so that cold air can selectively pass through the first electrode and the second electrode; and an opening/closing means that selectively opens/closes the bypass unit and the air passage.
In the second paragraph,
A refrigerator having a plasma generating unit, characterized in that the above-mentioned perforated plate is formed with a structure in which a plurality of cold air introduction holes are perforated in a plate-shaped body, and the plate-shaped body is composed of a corrugated plate having a plurality of ridges and valleys so as to evenly distribute the amount of cold air entering, and the cold air introduction holes are perforated in the inclined surface between the ridges and valleys.
delete delete In paragraph 1 or 2,
The above plasma container is formed as a cylindrical container body with a container inlet formed at the bottom of one side and a container exhaust port formed at the other side to communicate with the bypass section, and a structure in which the bulkhead is installed inside the container body so that the air passage in the '∩' structure is provided.
A refrigerator having a plasma generating unit, characterized in that the bypass section is formed by a structure in which a bypass inlet hole is formed at the bottom and a bypass exhaust hole is formed at the top so as to be connected to the body exhaust hole.
In Article 6,
A refrigerator having a plasma generating unit, characterized in that the opening/closing means comprises a damper plate that selectively opens/closes the body exhaust port and the bypass inlet port, and a damper having a driving motor whose rotation shaft is connected to the damper plate.
In paragraph 1 or 2,
A plasma control fan installed in the bypass section to control the flow of cold air passing through the plasma generating section; and
A refrigerator having a plasma generating unit, characterized by including a control unit that controls the operation of the opening/closing means and the plasma control fan according to a time set by an input unit.
In Article 6,
A plasma control fan installed in the bypass section to control the flow of cold air passing through the plasma generating section;
A plasma density measurement module installed inside the bypass section or in the body inlet portion to measure the density of plasma reaction species contained in cold air; and
A refrigerator having a plasma generating unit, characterized by including a control unit that compares the density of plasma reaction species input and set by an input unit with the density of plasma reaction species measured by the plasma density measuring module and controls the operation of the opening/closing means and the plasma control fan.
In paragraph 1 or 2,
The above body includes an outer case formed so that a space is provided inside; and an inner case formed on one side and the other side of the inner side of the outer case so that the storage space is provided inside;
The above circulation passage includes a first circulation passage formed on the outside of the inner case on one side based on the door, and a second circulation passage formed on the outside of the inner case on the other side.
A refrigerator having a plasma generating unit, characterized in that the main body includes a first cold air supply port formed on the upper side of the inner case on one side to connect the first circulation passage and the storage space, a second cold air supply port formed on the upper side of the inner case on the other side to connect the second circulation passage and the storage space, a first cold air discharge port formed on the lower side of the inner case on one side to connect the first circulation passage and the storage space, and a second cold air discharge port formed on the lower side of the inner case on the other side to connect the second circulation passage and the storage space.
In Article 10,
The above circulation fan,
A plurality of first upper circulation fans installed at the upper portion of the first circulation passage in contact with the first cold air supply port;
A plurality of second upper circulation fans installed on the upper part of the second circulation passage in contact with the second cold air supply port;
A plurality of first lower circulation fans installed at the bottom of the storage space in contact with the first cold air discharge port; and
A refrigerator having a plasma generating unit, characterized by including a plurality of second lower circulation fans installed at the lower portion of the storage space in contact with the second cold air discharge port.

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