Refrigerator control: electronic or mechanical? Control. Functions and capabilities of refrigerators
Remember what refrigerators were like 10-15 years ago. Refrigerator, freezer, you didn’t have to choose - it’s cold and ok, I’m actually lucky that I bought it. Now, competition in the “refrigeration” market is forcing manufacturers to equip their products with more and more functionality, all so that we give them our money in exchange for their products. However, we will not blindly believe in the preferences that manufacturers proclaim for their refrigerators, and we will try to figure out, as they say, “who is who,” and why all these bells and whistles are needed.
Refrigerator control.
Currently, refrigerators with electronic and mechanical controls are produced.
Mechanical control a simpler and more common option.
It is a control of a conventional thermostat. With this control, you do not have the ability to set a temperature precisely defined in degrees:
You simply select one of the levels, for example, *, **, ***, etc., or 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. There is no strict correspondence of each level to a certain temperature degree.
Electronic control makes it possible to set the exact temperature (in degrees) that you want to maintain in the refrigerator and freezer. In this case, as a rule, the set temperature is displayed on the display on the front panel of the refrigerator.
Electronic control, in most cases, provides you with the ability to separately control the temperature in the refrigerator and freezer compartments.
With unified control, a certain temperature regime is selected for both the refrigeration and freezer compartments at the same time. That is, by lowering the temperature level using the regulator, you, whether you want it or not, are lowering the temperature in both the refrigerator compartment and the freezer at the same time. Separate control is somewhat more convenient, since it allows you to set the temperature separately for each chamber.
Functions and capabilities of refrigerators.
Super Freeze Mode can be useful if you need to freeze a large amount of food (from 2 to 3 kg at a time), and on the other hand, prepare the food already in the freezer for an increase in temperature.
Why is this necessary if the freezer is already -18°C?
The thing is that in order to preserve their taste properties, when frozen, products must pass the temperature threshold of 0°C as quickly as possible - in this case, your products will remain tasty. If the temperature is not low enough and the passage of zero temperature takes a long time, freezing may not bring the desired result, which will negatively affect the taste of the products.
To properly freeze a large amount of food at one time, give your refrigerator the opportunity to prepare for such a test in advance: a few hours before placing new products in the freezer, turn on the super freeze mode. During this time, the temperature in the freezer will drop from the usual -18 ° C to -24 ° C degrees and below and the refrigerator will be in full combat readiness.
Using this mode, you can quickly freeze a large amount of fresh food (for example, fresh vegetables, fruits, berries, etc.). To help the refrigerator freeze foods faster, divide them into small portions and place them in bags - this will make the process faster and more efficient.
After freezing new food (after about a few hours), be sure to turn off the Super Freeze mode so that the refrigerator returns to normal mode.
Super Cool Mode allows you to lower the temperature in the refrigerator compartment to +2°C in order to “cope” with the cooling of products newly placed in the refrigerator. This function is similar to the super freeze mode of the freezer.
Since food brought into the house may have a fairly high temperature (especially if it is hot outside), and when placing a large amount of such food in the refrigerator, the temperature inside the refrigerator compartment increases too much, which can adversely affect the food already in the refrigerator.
Super Cool Mode allows you to quickly cool new products to the desired temperature, and protect the food already in the refrigerator.
As for the refrigerator compartment, today it is no longer just a box in which it is cold. Electronics and automation have also penetrated into refrigerators. To create optimal conditions for storing food, some models use systems such as forced circulation of cold air, a cooling system with numerous flows directed from different directions, ensuring fast and uniform cooling of products, “personal cooling”, thermal sensors detect a still warm “newcomer” who has entered the refrigerating chamber, and direct a powerful flow of cold air towards him.
Freshness zone- a very useful and convenient feature.
Perishable products are stored in such a zone several times longer than in a conventional refrigerator. This zone maintains a temperature from 0°C to +2°C, at which bacteria are extremely reluctant to multiply.
This is useful for foods stored in the refrigerator compartment (for example, fresh meat) that you do not want or are unable to freeze. It is better to locate the freshness preservation zone in an isolated compartment of the refrigerator. An additional advantage is the division of the zone into two parts - wet and dry.
"Dry" freshness preservation zone. Packaged meat and poultry can be stored in this area for a week. And fish and fresh seafood can be stored even longer. Storage conditions in this climatic zone are close to industrial refrigeration units: temperature is about zero degrees and humidity is not more than 50%.
Of course, you can imagine what sliced ham will look like if it has lain for five days in a regular refrigerator (at +5°C). It will, of course, lose some freshness, but will retain its taste. The ham that has been in the dry zero zone for 15 days will be exactly the same.
"Wet" freshness preservation zone. In this climate zone, fresh greens, perishable vegetables, fruits and herbs are preserved as if you had just brought them from the market. At a temperature of about 0°C and a relative humidity of 90%, nutrients, vitamins and flavors are preserved twice as long as in a conventional refrigerator
Sound and light alarms- designed to ensure that you always keep the operation of the refrigerator under control.
First of all, this is, of course, an alarm for increasing the temperature in the freezer: it is triggered when the temperature rises to values ranging from -10°C to -13°C, notifying you of this unfortunate fact with a light or sound signal.
Also, the signal for an open door in the freezer and refrigerator compartments is triggered if any of the refrigerator doors is open for a certain time (there are various options for both the type of signal and the time during which the refrigerator “allows” to keep the door open).
Indicating the temperature inside the refrigerator- significant convenience for users is created by the presence of this function inside the refrigerator or digital display.
Alarms and indications are of course very convenient and important, but the presence of these functions will not please you as much as the ability of the refrigerator to preserve your food during a power outage. If there is no electricity, then no alarm will help.
Power-off storage or Cold accumulator- one of the most important characteristics of refrigerators. The storage time of food in the refrigerator when the power is turned off is the period during which the refrigerator remains at a sufficiently low temperature acceptable for storing food.
This parameter (in the description it can be referred to as “Autonomous cold preservation” or “Storage duration when switched off”) is indicated in hours and ranges from 0 to 30 hours.
This period is determined for each refrigerator as follows: at an ambient temperature of +25°C degrees, the freezer is filled to capacity with test packages simulating products, and the power supply is turned off. Then it is recorded how long it will take for the temperature in the freezer to rise from the usual -18°C degrees to the critical -9°C degrees. This time is considered to be the storage time of food when the power is turned off in this refrigerator.
In addition, based on the value of this indicator, one can also form an indirect opinion about the manufacturing quality of the refrigerator, since the storage time when the power is turned off depends on many indicators, such as the tightness of the refrigerator chambers.
Freezing power- an indicator of the refrigerator’s productivity in freezing food, measured in the number of kilograms of food that the refrigerator’s freezer can freeze in one day.
Freezing power - can vary from 3.5 kg to 20 kg per day. The optimal choice for a family is no more than 10 kg per day, and the average housewife, as a rule, does not need a freezing capacity of more than 10 kg; Such freezers are usually purchased by shopping centers, cafes, restaurants, etc.
“Snowflakes” are often placed on freezers and the front panels of refrigerators, indicating the class of the freezer.
* - indicator with one “snowflake” maintains a minimum temperature of up to - 6°C, suitable only for short-term storage of products;
** - two “snowflakes” correspond to a minimum temperature of -12°C, ensuring short-term storage of products;
*** - the indicator allows long-term storage and freezing of small quantities of products at a temperature of -18°C;
**** - indicator at a minimum temperature below -24°C ensures long-term storage and freezing of a large number of products;
More often than not, this parameter is not mentioned in the description of models, since the vast majority of refrigerators we sell have a freezer category ****.
After familiarizing yourself with all the capabilities and functions of refrigerators, you can decide which ones you need and choose a model that will meet your requirements not only in terms of overall dimensions, volume, energy consumption, ergonomics, but also in terms of functional equipment. The more you learn about refrigerators, the better your choice will ultimately be.
Refrigerator control and defrosting system. Defrosting No Frost and the “crying wall”. Mechanical, electromechanical and electronic control of the refrigerator.
The refrigerator compartments of most models (except single-chamber ones) defrost automatically. During automatic defrosting, wet condensate is removed using one of two methods - No Frost or drip (“crying wall”).
In addition to these two methods, manual defrosting is widely used for the freezer. The refrigerator may have mechanical, electromechanical or electronic control of manual defrosting and its other functions. Electronically controlled refrigerators are usually equipped with special panels with a digital display.
The drip defrosting system of the refrigerator involves the freezing of ice on the back wall. When the compressor stops, they begin to melt, the water flows through the grooves into a specialized pan, then evaporates from there. These refrigerators are cheaper than units with the No Frost system, but they need to be defrosted once every six months.
The drip system maintains higher humidity in the refrigerator compartment than No Frost technology, so food does not dehydrate as quickly.
Refrigerators with a “no frost” system, theoretically, do not need defrosting, but as a preventive measure it is recommended to turn them off at least once a year. In them, frost forms on the evaporator, hidden from view, where it is melted by a periodically switched on heater. The water flows into a special tray and then evaporates from there. It must be said that the No Frost system takes away part of the useful volume from the camera.
A moderately loaded freezer needs to be defrosted on average once every six months. If automatic defrosting is not provided, the camera will need to be turned off to remove frost and also to do cleaning.
As already mentioned, the control of refrigerators can be mechanical, electromechanical or electronic. The first option is regular thermostat knobs and buttons.
By choosing the electronic method, you can use a set of indicators and control buttons to precisely adjust the temperature, down to a degree. Please also note that a number of models with electromechanical control are also equipped with indicators.
As a rule, electronically controlled refrigerators are equipped with special panels with digital monitors. This display displays all information about the operation of the refrigerator in text or symbolic form.
The interactive display helps regulate not only the temperature, but also the operation of the compressor and fan. This maintains a favorable humidity level and significantly saves energy.
When choosing a refrigerator with a digital display, consider whether it has Russification or not.
By electronically controlling a refrigerator, most people mean the ability to use a regulator to change the temperature to ensure optimal storage of various types of food. This opinion is not entirely accurate, since control systems for household refrigeration appliances (HRAs) can perform a very large list of functions, ranging from adjusting the cooling intensity to controlling the amount of food on the shelves. The functionality of the electronic control of a refrigerator depends primarily on the type of system and on the specific purpose of the household appliance (industrial, household refrigerators, freezers, etc.).
Types of BHP control systems
Most refrigerator models have built-in thermostats that allow you to set the desired temperature in the refrigerator and freezer. According to the operating principle, all regulators are divided into two groups: electromechanical and electronic. Based on the appearance of the regulator, it is often difficult for the buyer to determine which group it belongs to, since each type of regulator can be installed inside the refrigerator and have a temperature switch knob. The main design difference between them is that electromechanical regulators are equipped with electrical contacts, while electronic ones do not have them.
Small-sized budget models of household refrigerators are most often equipped with electromechanical thermostats, since they are cheaper and easier to manufacture than electronic ones. The principle of operation of these regulators is that the temperature of the coldest point on the evaporator is recorded, and based on it, the temperature regime is regulated. Obviously, the air temperature inside the refrigeration chamber may differ by 1-2 degrees from the surface temperature of the evaporator, therefore electromechanical regulators are not installed in equipment that must provide a strictly defined temperature regime without errors.
Despite the simplicity of design and low cost, electromechanical regulators have a number of advantages, the main ones:
Easy to operate;
Reliability;
Resistance to voltage surges;
Extremely low probability of failure and significant deviation of the actual temperature from the nominal value on the regulator.
In most cases, large household and industrial refrigeration equipment are equipped with electronic thermostats. Unlike electromechanical ones, their principle of operation is based on recording the air temperature in the refrigerating chamber using special sensors and maintaining the required temperature regime. This type of thermostat is highly accurate.
Additional capabilities of BHP electronic control systems
On some modern BHP models, an electronic control unit is installed together with an display panel on which the temperature in the refrigerator and freezer is displayed. The unit itself has indicators and switches for various modes. Such an electronic refrigerator control system may include not only a temperature controller, but also control of air humidity, fan intensity, chamber load level and other characteristics. Also, some control units are designed not only to adjust various characteristics, but are also equipped with the function of independently determining the optimal cooling mode and maintaining it in the refrigerator and freezer compartments.
In addition to functions aimed at cooling and maintaining optimal temperature conditions in the refrigerator compartment, modern BHPs can be equipped with a number of built-in functions designed to ensure maximum comfort, safety and uninterrupted operation. A built-in TV, voice recorder, ice maker dispenser, water purification system, emergency diagnostic system, alarm in case of malfunction - this is not a complete range of additional equipment that can be built into the refrigerator.
Particularly convenient and functional are BHPs with a built-in computer, since if desired, they can be connected to a local network for controlling household appliances (Smart Home system) and adjust the operating modes of the refrigerator from a distance. In addition to adjusting the air characteristics in the refrigeration chamber, such electronic control can provide control over the availability of the necessary products (set in the program by the owner); if the food you need is not on the shelves, the refrigerator control system will send an SMS message to the owner’s mobile phone. With such a refrigerator, you don’t have to worry not only about the safety of food, but also about your diet - the equipment itself will remind you what and when to buy.
Undoubtedly, the main advantage of the control unit installed on the outer surface of the refrigerator door is the ability to regulate the temperature, turn on and off additional modes and functions without opening the refrigerator. The external control panel on the refrigerator can perform not only a direct function, but also a decorative one - a block with LED sensors and elegant switches organically complements the design of the BHP model. For example, some models of Zigmund & Shtain refrigerators have built-in touch control units; They are not only very comfortable and multifunctional, but also have a modern and original design.
Some refrigerator models are equipped not only with a built-in external electronic control unit, but also with a remote control. This technique provides the highest level of comfort for its owner, because you can switch modes, turn on the built-in TV and adjust other additional functions of the refrigerator without even going near it. Purchasing a refrigerator with an electronic control system is an easy way not only to preserve perishable food items, but also to provide the highest level of comfort in the kitchen.
Nowadays, you can increasingly find freezers not only in shops and cafeterias, but also in private houses and apartments. And this is not surprising, because the presence of a separate chamber allows for timely supplies of necessary products for the whole family: meat, fish, mushrooms, semi-finished products, fruits, berries and much more, not only in winter, but all year round. If the benefits of purchasing this household appliance are obvious, then it is not clear to all consumers. Today we will try to lift the veil on this difficult matter - the matter of choice.
Before choose a freezer, you must know exactly what you plan to use it for, in other words, what products will be stored in it.
Let's look at the main characteristics that are important to consider when choosing freezers.
Types of freezers
First, you should know that freezing units are differentiated by type of construction. There are three types of chambers: cabinet, chest and cabinet.
Freezer cabinet
These are the largest freezers, as they can reach 180-200 cm in height with a width of 60 cm. The total internal volume of the cabinet is 260-350 liters. This means that they can be installed, like refrigerators, if there is free space in the kitchen. It is important to know that cabinets can be either free-standing or built-in. Thanks to the presence of many pull-out shelves and drawers, the freezer allows you to load a lot of food. Many cabinet models have special labels to indicate specific types of products to be loaded on the appropriate levels.
Chest freezer
Chests are not as convenient for loading food as cabinets, but they are more spacious and practical. The method of loading products is vertical from above. Unlike freezers, chest freezers maintain the required temperature level much longer and better even in emergency cases of lack of electricity. Due to their impressive dimensions, chest freezers are suitable for large apartments, country houses and cottages. In addition, chests differ in the internal volume of the body up to 375 liters, which is significantly more than that of their predecessors. But, despite all the advantages, chests have one obvious drawback - the difficulty in finding products. In a word, before you extract the desired product, you will have to carefully dig through the entire chamber.
Freezer cabinet
This is the most compact and simple type of freezers, which is characterized by its small dimensions and internal chamber volume. Freezer cabinets can be installed both on the floor and on the kitchen unit, next to other household appliances - but away from and. Often cabinets are equipped with several containers, which are enough to store the most necessary products. This is especially true if your refrigerator does not have a freezer, or it is not spacious enough.
Main technical characteristics
At choosing a freezer It is important to consider the following technical characteristics: volume, type of control, power, chamber class, climate class, defrosting options, noise level, additional functionality.
Volume
An important parameter when choosing a freezer- volume. Modern manufacturers of freezers make them in different shapes, volumes and sizes. The useful internal volume of the chambers can range from 80 to 410 liters. For home use, you can purchase chambers with a volume of 80-260 liters. For catering establishments and shops - from 100 to 400 liters.
Regarding the very relevant question of how to calculate the maximum freezer capacity for your needs, there is a simple rule to follow. To store food for one person, a device with a volume of 50 liters is enough. For a small family, a freezer with a capacity of 80-150 liters is suitable. For a large family – 150-200 liters. It is also worth considering the amount of food that you plan to store in the freezer.
Control type
Choosing a freezer It is important to clarify what type of control it is equipped with. And there are only three of them: mechanical, electromechanical and electronic.
Mechanical
Simple and convenient adjustment is carried out using a standard toggle switch (switch). Often in devices with mechanics there are only 3 levels of regulation.
Electromechanical
Electromechanical control also has its advantages. This is, first of all, ease and reliability of use. The adjustment occurs thanks to an electromechanical thermostat, but there is one problem. It is possible to switch the thermostat only in two positions: more - less. This means that you will not be able to accurately set the temperature you need.
Electronic
Electronic control, unlike electromechanical control, has a number of advantages. Electronics allows you to independently set the most suitable temperature regime. This type of control is more functional. The only drawback is its sensitivity to voltage changes.
Freezing power
This indicator determines the total amount of food that the camera can freeze in 24 hours. This figure can be 3-24 kg.
Camera class
An important parameter is the class of the freezer. The higher the class of the chamber, the higher the quality of freezing products while preserving their beneficial properties. This indicator is marked with a special symbol – a snowflake (*). Depending on the functions and type, freezers have the following classes and storage duration for various products:
*(6˚ below zero) – 1 week;
**(12˚ below zero) – 1 month;
***(18˚ below zero) – up to 3 months;
****(24˚ below zero) – from 6 months to 1 year
Climate class
At choosing a freezer We take into account one more indicator - climate class (not to be confused with the camera class). It shows the humidity and permissible ambient temperature, which is taken into account for a specific model. There are four climate classes:
- normal (N), air t – from 17 to 30 ˚С above zero;
- moderate (SN), t – from 10 to 30 ˚С above zero;
- subtropical (ST), t – from 18 to 37 ˚С above zero;
- tropical (T), t – from 18 to 42 ˚С above zero
Defrost option
Defrosting the chamber is an indispensable condition for proper care of the device. Most freezer models have one of two defrosting options – manual and “No frost”.
Manual defrost
Everything here is very clear. We disconnected the camera from the electrical network, promptly removed frost and pieces of snow, washed it with warm clean water and dried it. Manual defrosting is often done once a year.
Defrosting "No frost"
In this case, the chamber is defrosted using a fan, which provides the necessary air circulation and removes accumulated moisture outside the chamber. The fan starts up once every 2-3 hours, it works simultaneously with the heating element, which allows you to more effectively remove condensation and excess moisture.
Noise
For cameras, the noise level is quite low and reaches 40 dB, which means that the unit will not cause you unnecessary problems.
Additional functionality
Additional functionality makes the freezer more convenient to use and efficient in storing frozen foods.
- Child protection, which locks the door and camera control system;
- Carbon filters for high-quality indoor air purification;
- Sound indicator of a closed door (you will always know that the door is closed, since a slight beep sounds when closing);
- Changing door opening options (hanging the door from left to right and vice versa);
In conclusion to the material about, I would like to remind you that you are purchasing a device that will be responsible for the quality and reliability of storing frozen foods. We recommend that you pay attention to all the selection parameters together in order to make a profitable purchase in the future!
Modern refrigerators from imported and domestic manufacturers represent an absolutely amazing combination of technologies for freezing and defrosting food, have a fantastically ergonomic interior design, and the outer casing is not at all difficult to match the design of kitchen furniture and the interior of the kitchen. Refrigerators are often selected based on color, size, and the size of the refrigerator and freezer compartments.
But there must be some starting points - the main or most important characteristics, perhaps technical, based on which consumers make their choice?
And sometimes it’s very difficult to make a choice. The majority of citizens who make up the stratum of the so-called “middle peasants” (meaning the average level of income of the population) when choosing a brand of refrigerator are guided by its cost, often by the manufacturer, preferring brands of domestic refrigerators or those produced in neighboring countries. Again, based on the reflection that customs fees make imported equipment much more expensive, but does not mean that it is of better quality. And in the event (God forbid!) of a refrigerator breakdown and repair, replacing parts and units of the unit will not lead to a dead end, and will not force you to overpay the import duty and delivery of imported spare parts required according to the manufacturer’s specifications for the selected refrigerator model.
Well, let's try to understand the technical characteristics of the refrigerator. Today, single-chamber refrigerators are distinguished by type - an outdated option, when the freezer is located behind the refrigerator door; such a unit is rarely seen on sale anymore. The most common are two-chamber refrigerators, in which the refrigerator compartment has a separate door, and the freezer has its own separate door. At the same time, the options for the location of the freezer range from the usual to the most unexpected. No one is surprised anymore by the freezer located at the bottom of the refrigerator, but they still find it surprising, for example, such new models of refrigerators as the Samsung RS-20 CRVB5, in which the freezer compartment is located “behind the second cabinet door.” That's right - this refrigerator model is more like a double-door cabinet. The main disadvantage of such a fantasy model is the equally fantastic price.
Perhaps the external characteristics of refrigerators are the least important for the average buyer; the type of control of the cooling system is considered much more interesting (by the way, often the freezer and refrigerator can have completely independent control systems, that is, two, and sometimes the control of the refrigeration unit ensures the mode inside refrigerator compartment, and inside the freezer - communicating). The struggle of high technologies has led to the fact that most imported manufacturers of refrigeration equipment have switched to electronic control systems that require almost no outside human intervention. Pressing one button causes a series of “chain reactions” that change the climate inside and the principles of freezing or cooling.
The difference between electronic, electromechanical and mechanical control can be understood by the average person if someone knowledgeable explains it in detail and well. Most refrigerators operate on electromechanical devices, and the more complex the unit is, the easier it is to control and configure it using electronics. The simplest device that regulates the temperature in the refrigerator, even if it looks like a rotary knob, is not purely mechanical, but electromechanical.
Any turn of the knob with this control is associated with the evaporator - temperature control occurs according to the temperature of the coldest point on the evaporator. By turning the knob you change the amount of cold air entering the chamber. And this triggers the automation - switching electrical contacts, changing the state of aggregation, density and volumes of various refrigerant media, which in turn generates an increase or drop in pressure in special units of the unit, again triggering the electrical contacts, and stopping, or vice versa, the impulse of the compressor electric motor. This is how, with one turn of the handle, processes that are not entirely visible and meaningful to the average person are launched.
Unlike electromechanical temperature controllers, electronic ones do not use the evaporator. The adjustment process is carried out according to the readings of the air temperature sensor in the chamber itself. An electronic temperature controller may look the same as an electromechanical one, but differs in that it turns the cold on or off by reading signals from electronic sensors that are located in the refrigerator and/or freezer compartment, and depending on this, turns it on or off through a relay device (electrical contacts) running compressor motor.
But sometimes even the sellers themselves are not aware of this difference in refrigerators. In fact, the difference between electronic and electromechanical systems is not so obvious. But the presence of electronic sensors in large refrigerators makes the work more accurate. Based on sensor signals, regulation of temperature and humidity to a user-specified value in the refrigerator chamber is guaranteed to exclude the influence of ambient temperature and humidity, and is practically independent of its changes.
Often, an electronic type of cooling control can be placed on the surface of the refrigerator and even on a remote control. As a rule, both control systems can be found in refrigerators sold in large quantities. In terms of operational reliability, they are usually guided by the principle “the simpler the better,” meaning that fewer spare parts means fewer breakdowns. But the operation of especially large refrigerators without electronic control, based on the electromechanical principle, leads to significant losses and fluctuations in temperature and humidity inside the chamber, which cannot but affect the shelf life and quality of food.
To maintain automation in a refrigerator with an electronic control system and to ensure reliability in the event of power surges, it is necessary to use a voltage stabilizer.
