Refrigerator Whirlpool

From GICLWiki

General Description

Merriam-Webster defines a refrigerator as "a room or appliance for keeping food or other items cool". A refrigerator for personal use commonly houses two compartments: one slightly above the freezing temperature of water and one slightly below. Refrigerators can be as simple as previously described, or as complex as also housing ice makers, LCD read-outs, multiple controllable temperature regions, and other add-ons.

This Whirlpool Refrigerator could be considered a "standard" side-by-side refrigerator. This article's purpose is to explain the inner workings of this specific refrigerator assuming most principles could be transferred across other manufacturers.

History

The history of the refrigerator is a long and colorful story. For centuries, food was stored in outdoor window boxes, indoor storage cabinets, in cellars, underwater in lakes, or in a springhouse. According to History Magazine, it was not unusual in colonial days to die of “summer complaint” due to spoiled food during warm weather.

To combat this, ice was used as a method of cooling down fresh food and keeping it cold. Natural ice was the first form of refrigeration but eventually led to health issues as natural ice became a problem because of sewage and pollution. The solution was found by mechanically manufacturing ice, which is the basis of refrigeration.

The refrigeration industry revolutionized the world. The brewing industry was one of the first industries to reap the benefits and was the first activity in the United states to use mechanical refrigeration as a key part of the manufacturing process. Refrigeration provided the brewing industry with the ability to make lagers, which revolutionized collegiate life, giving us Natural Light.

The meat packing industry quickly adopted mechanical refrigeration. This allowed the industry to become a year-round producing industry as animals could be brought to market anytime. Refrigeration cars helped to establish mid-Western cities as slaughter centers of the country and gave us the meat producing capitals that are still maintained today.

Refrigeration also lead to introduction of air conditioning, leading to revolutions in metalworking, textile factories, the floral industry, the food industry as a whole, as well as hospitals and morgues.

Specifications & Features

Whirlpool Refrigerator

Manufacturer: Whirlpool

Model #: ED5GTGXNQ00

Refrigerator Type: Side-by-Side

Color: White

Features:

Ice maker
Water and ice dispenser
Water filter
Convertible drawer temperature control
Crisper humidity control
Internally lit

How it works

A refrigerator works in cycles. Initially the refrigerant is pressurized, causing a release of heat. The black coils of the condenser, located on the bottom of the refrigerator, then release the heat into the environment. The refrigerant then flows through an expansion valve to a low pressure tube, immediately vaporizing it and causing the temperature to drop. The cold refrigerant flows behind the housing of the refrigerator and freezer, causing the temperature to remain at an ideal temperature. The refrigerant is then pulled back into the compressor and the cycle starts over again.

Bill of Materials

**Bill of Materials : Whirlpool Refrigerator**
Part #	Part Name	Qty	Material	Manufacturing Process	Assembly Scheme	Primary Function	Image
1	Condenser Fan	One	Plastic	Injection Mold	Friction fit	Moves air over the condenser to increase efficiency
2	Condenser	One	Metal	Extrusion and Welding	Held in place by screws	Allows refrigerant to condense and give off heat to the surroundings
3	Fan Motor	One	Various	Various	Held in place by screws	Powers fan to improve efficiency of condenser
4	Pan	One	Plasic	Injection mold	Friction fit	Catches condensing water on exterior of condensor
5	Evaporator Case	One	Metal	Cut out of sheet metal	Held in place by screws	Surrounds evaporator and directs heat flow in specific direction
6	Evaporator	One	Metal	Extrusion and Welding	Held in place by screws	Absorbs heat from the refrigerator and evaporates the refigerent to cool the refrigerator
7	Compressor	One	Metal	Metal press and extrusion	Held in place by Screws	Force the refrigerant into a smaller tube and propels it through the system
8	Horizontal Rail	One	Metal	Extrusion and screws	Held in place by screws	Holds several components in place and connect them to the frame
9	Bracket	Two	Metal	Extrusion and Cut	Held in place by screws	Holds the fan motor to the baffle
10	Baffle	One	Metal	Cut out of sheet metal	Held in place by screws	Provides mount for fan assembly
11	Cover-Unit	One	Cardboard and Insulation	Cut	Tolerance fit onto plastic knob	Provides insulation for condenser assembly
12	Rail unit	Two	Metal	Extrusion	Held in place by screws	Connects bracket to frame	No picture available

List of Major Subsystems

Refrigeration Cycle

The Refrigeration Cycles is the system that cools the inside of the refrigerator and freezer compartments.

Exploded View of Refrigeration Cycle

Ice Maker/Dispenser

The Ice Maker is located in the freezer compartment that automatically fills ice trays, freezes the water, and dispenses the ice into a storage bin. The Ice Dispenser, when activated, dispenses the ice out of the storage bin and through an exit hole in the freezer door for use.

Exploded View of Ice Maker 1
Exploded View of Ice Maker 2
Exploded View of Ice Dispenser

Doors and Insulation

The Doors act as both an opening for refrigerator use and extra storage. On the inside of the doors and main cabinet, Insulation is used to keep the temperature of the refrigerator from being affected by the temperature of the environment.

Exploded View of Refrigerator Door
Exploded View of Freezer Door
Exploded View of Refrigerator Liner
Exploded View of Freezer Liner

Cabinetry and Shelves

The Cabinet is the material that houses the entire refrigerator while the shelves provide more usable storage space inside the refrigerator.

Exploded View of Cabinet
Exploded View of Shelving

Air Flow

The Air Flow system circulates the air inside the compartments in order to create uniform temperature gradient for both the refrigerator and freezer.

Exploded View of Air Flow

Controls

The Controls allows the user to define a preferred temperature for both refrigerator and freezer compartments.

Exploded View of Controls

Disassembly Procedure

Explain disassemably processes

1. Identify the type of refrigerator, manufacturer, model number and any performance specifications.

2. Remove Bottom Insulation.

3. Remove Rear Insulation.

4. Remove Water Filter.

5. Remove Fan and Housing.

6. Remove Bottom Support Frame.

7. Remove Condenser.

8. Remove Pressurizer.

9. Describe how these components work together to cool the refrigerator

Facts

Economical

- Side-by-side refrigerators are less efficient and generate higher electricity bills than freezer-on-top models. They also cost more initially and have higher repair bills.

Environmental

-Side-by-side models require 10-30% more energy to operate than freezer-on-top models.

-85-95% of Whirlpool materials can be reused or recycled.

Societal

-Side-by-side models are built to have a larger capacity, especially in the freezer, than freezer-on-top models. There is also more door storage in side-by-side models.

-They are also more convenient, reliable, attractive, and have a better market reputation.

- Side-by-side models cost more to repair then freezer-on-top models because repair is more difficult and parts are more expensive.

Global

-Whilrpool has design locations in: Monterrey, New Mexico, Benton Harbor,Illinois; Cassinetta, Italy; New Delhi, India; and Shanghai, each working towards Whirlpool’s motto of: “Every Home, Everywhere.”

-European refrigerators have an assigned rating of A, A+, or A+++. This grade is based off energy consumption(kW*h/year), capacity in liters, noise produced. American models carry the Energy Star rating.