The difference between air-cooled refrigerators and refrigerated refrigerators

The cooling principle of an air-cooled refrigerator is similar to the "blowing air to cool down" of an air conditioner. In simple terms, the evaporator is hidden inside the refrigerator, and the cold air is blown to every corner by the fan for continuous cooling. When the temperature in the refrigerator compartment or freezer rises, the fan automatically starts to quickly circulate the cold air into the room, bringing the temperature back to the set value. It's like installing a small "air circulation system" inside the refrigerator. Constantly supply cold air to the food.

The direct-cooling refrigerator is like a "silent refrigeration craftsman", using refrigerant to directly cool the interior of the refrigerator. The refrigerant absorbs heat on the surface of the evaporator to achieve cooling. The evaporator is usually composed of S-shaped cold coil tubes, which directly contact the inner wall of the freezing chamber for heat exchange. This direct contact cooling method makes the direct-cooling ice box quieter when cooling.

What is the difference between automatic defrosting and manual defrosting?

Air-cooled refrigerators are known for being "frost-free", but in fact, frost forms on the evaporator. After the refrigerator has been working for a period of time (usually about 8 hours), it will stop cooling and start the defrosting heating system. The frost turns into water when heated and is discharged through a dedicated pipe (or directly evaporates into water vapor). The entire process is completed automatically without the need for manual handling by the user. However, there may occasionally be a few water droplets in the fresh-keeping compartment of an air-cooled refrigerator.

Due to high air humidity, the surface of the evaporator in direct-cooling refrigerators is prone to frost formation. Over time, thick ice layers may form on the rear wall of the refrigerator compartment. At this point, users need to cut off the power, empty the refrigerator, and use a shovel to remove the ice. This is not only laborious but may also damage the inner wall. Moreover, frost formation can affect the cooling efficiency and storage space.

In terms of preservation, due to the lack of cold air circulation in direct-cooling refrigerators, the humidity is relatively high, making them suitable for storing fruits and vegetables, as they can keep food in a fresh and juicy state. However, their temperature is uneven; areas close to the evaporator may be too cold and freeze food, while areas far away may not be cold enough, causing food to spoil easily.

Air-cooled refrigerators, due to air circulation, have a more uniform temperature, making them suitable for storing temperature-sensitive ingredients. But direct blowing of cold air can easily cause food to dry out; for example, bread may become hard the next day after being placed in it. However, many high-end air-cooled refrigerators now have optimized technologies such as humidification and zoned air supply to reduce the drying problem. Some refrigerators also have special moisture-retaining areas for fruits and vegetables or use membrane structures to lock in moisture.

In addition, noise and energy consumption are also issues. Direct-cooling refrigerators have almost no mechanical operation noise, being so quiet that they seem non-existent. Moreover, without fans and defrosting systems, their energy consumption is usually lower than that of air-cooled refrigerators, making them more energy-efficient for long-term use.

Early air-cooled refrigerators were more power-consuming than direct-cooling ones due to their fans and defrosting systems, but with technological advancements, the energy consumption gap between the two has narrowed. Many first-class energy efficiency air-cooled refrigerators have a daily power consumption similar to that of direct-cooling refrigerators. However, the fans in air-cooled refrigerators produce a slight wind noise, generally not exceeding 40 decibels, which is like the volume of a soft conversation. For users particularly sensitive to noise, dual-inverter air-cooled refrigerators can be chosen, where the fan speed automatically adjusts according to temperature, resulting in lower noise.

When it comes to price, direct-cooling refrigerators are significantly more affordable. A good one can be bought for one to two thousand yuan, while an air-cooled refrigerator of the same capacity may be twice as expensive. For those with a limited budget or renting a house, direct-cooling refrigerators offer better value for money.

In terms of capacity, air-cooled refrigerators are more suitable for large families. When the capacity of a direct-cooling refrigerator exceeds 300 liters, the internal temperature difference increases, and the preservation effect decreases. In contrast, air-cooled refrigerators, through air circulation, can maintain a uniform temperature even with large capacities. For example, in a 500-liter air-cooled side-by-side refrigerator, the temperature fluctuation in the refrigerating and freezing compartments may be only ±1℃, while in a direct-cooling refrigerator, it may reach ±5℃.