US 11,959,696 B2
Vacuum insulated appliance with pressure monitoring
Paul B. Allard, Coloma, MI (US); Sunil S. Ekshinge, Pune (IN); Alberto Regio Gomes, St. Joseph, MI (US); Abhay Naik, Stevensville, MI (US); and Sanjesh Kumar Pathak, Stevensville, MI (US)
Assigned to Whirlpool Corporation, Benton Harbor, MI (US)
Filed by WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION, Benton Harbor, MI (US)
Filed on Apr. 11, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/717,421.
Prior Publication US 2023/0324114 A1, Oct. 12, 2023
Int. Cl. F25D 29/00 (2006.01); F25D 23/06 (2006.01)
CPC F25D 29/006 (2013.01) [F25D 23/065 (2013.01); F25D 2201/126 (2013.01); F25D 2201/14 (2013.01); F25D 2500/04 (2013.01); F25D 2700/12 (2013.01); F25D 2700/14 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of measuring insulation performance in a vacuum insulated cabinet structure, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a refrigerator having a vacuum insulated cabinet structure with a storage compartment and an insulating space having a thickness, a first sensor positioned on an interior wall of the storage compartment, a second sensor positioned on an exterior wall of the vacuum insulated cabinet structure, a third sensor positioned within the storage compartment, and a controller operably coupled to the first, second and third sensors;
sensing a first temperature level of the interior wall of the storage compartment using the first sensor;
sensing an ambient temperature level within the storage compartment using the third sensor;
sensing a second temperature level of the exterior wall of the storage compartment using the second sensor;
calculating an overall heat transfer coefficient (Q) using the ambient temperature level, the first temperature level, and a convective heat transfer coefficient for the interior wall of the storage compartment;
calculating a temperature differential between the second temperature level and the first temperature level;
determining a conductivity level (K) using the temperature differential, the overall heat transfer coefficient (Q) and the thickness of the insulating space; and
determining a pressure level (P) within the insulating space using the conductivity level (K).