System and method for establishing a relative humidity with a chilled chamber of a refrigerator appliance

Abstract

A method for establishing a relative humidity of air within a chilled chamber of a refrigerator appliance is provided. The method includes measuring a temperature of air with a dry bulb temperature sensor, measuring the temperature of air with a wet bulb temperature sensor and calculating a relative humidity for air about the dry and wet bulb temperature sensors based at least in part on the temperature of air measured with the dry bulb temperature sensor and the temperature of air measured with the wet bulb temperature sensor. A related refrigerator appliance is also provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refrigerator appliance, comprising:
 a cabinet defining a chilled chamber;   a drawer assembly disposed within the chilled chamber of the cabinet, the drawer assembly comprising
 a drawer casing defining an interior volume; 
 a bin slidably disposed within the interior volume of the drawer casing, the bin configured for storing food items therein; 
 a dry bulb temperature sensor positioned at the interior volume of the drawer casing; 
 a wet bulb temperature sensor positioned within the interior volume of the drawer casing; 
 a reservoir positioned at the wet bulb temperature sensor; and 
 an air handler positioned adjacent the wet bulb temperature sensor such that the air handler is operable to urge a flow of air across the wet bulb temperature sensor. 
   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising a water supply conduit and a sealed system, the sealed system operable to generate chilled air within the chilled chamber of the cabinet, the sealed system comprising an evaporator positioned at the chilled chamber of the cabinet, the water supply conduit extending from the evaporator to the reservoir such that the water supply conduit directs liquid water from the evaporator into the reservoir. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 2 , further comprising an air supply conduit extending between the evaporator to the interior volume of the drawer casing such that the air supply conduit directs chilled air from the evaporator into the interior volume of the drawer casing. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 3 , further comprising a damper disposed within the air supply conduit, the damper selectively adjustable between an open configuration and a closed configuration, the damper operable to regulate a flow of chilled air through the air supply conduit by adjusting between the open and closed configurations. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 4 , further comprising a heater positioned at the interior volume of the drawer casing, the heater operable to heat air within the interior volume of the drawer casing. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising a heater positioned at the interior volume of the drawer casing, the heater operable to heat air within the interior volume of the drawer casing. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 6 , wherein the heater is positioned adjacent the air handler within the interior volume of the drawer casing. 
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising a controller in operative communication with the dry bulb temperature sensor, the wet bulb temperature sensor and the air handler, the controller configured for
 measuring a temperature of air within the interior volume of the drawer casing with the dry bulb temperature sensor;   measuring the temperature of air within the interior volume of the drawer casing with the wet bulb temperature sensor; and   establishing a relative humidity for air within the interior volume of the drawer casing based at least in part on the temperature of air within the interior volume of the drawer casing measured with the dry bulb temperature sensor and the temperature of air within the interior volume of the drawer casing measured with the wet bulb temperature sensor.   
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 8 , wherein the controller is further configured for determining a relative humidity for air within the chilled chamber of the cabinet based at least in part on the relative humidity for air within the interior volume of the drawer casing from said step of establishing. 
     
     
         10 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 8 , wherein the controller is further configured for operating the air handler during said step of measuring the temperature of air within the interior volume of the drawer casing with the wet bulb temperature sensor. 
     
     
         11 . A method for establishing a relative humidity of air within a chilled chamber of a refrigerator appliance, the refrigerator appliance having a drawer assembly disposed within the chilled chamber of the cabinet, the method comprising:
 measuring a temperature of air within the interior volume of the drawer assembly with a dry bulb temperature sensor;   measuring the temperature of air within the interior volume of the drawer assembly with a wet bulb temperature sensor;   calculating a relative humidity for air within the interior volume of the drawer assembly based at least in part on the temperature of air within the interior volume of the drawer assembly measured with the dry bulb temperature sensor and the temperature of air within the interior volume of the drawer assembly measured with the wet bulb temperature sensor; and   determining the relative humidity of air within the chilled chamber of the refrigerator appliance based at least in part on the relative humidity for air within the interior volume of the drawer assembly from said step of calculating.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the relative humidity of air within the chilled chamber of the refrigerator appliance directly corresponds to the relative humidity for air within the interior volume of the drawer assembly at said step of determining. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the relative humidity for air within the interior volume of the drawer assembly is correlated to a difference between the temperature of air within the interior volume of the drawer assembly measured with the dry bulb temperature sensor and the temperature of air within the interior volume of the drawer assembly measured with the wet bulb temperature sensor at said step of calculating. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising directing liquid water from an evaporator of the refrigerator appliance to a reservoir positioned at the wet bulb temperature sensor prior to said step of measuring the temperature of air within the interior volume of the drawer assembly with the wet bulb temperature sensor. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising directing liquid water from a water supply to a reservoir positioned at the wet bulb temperature sensor prior to said step of measuring the temperature of air within the interior volume of the drawer assembly with the wet bulb temperature sensor. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising operating an air handler of the refrigerator appliance in order to direct a flow of air across the wet bulb temperature sensor during said step of measuring the temperature of air within the interior volume of the drawer assembly with the wet bulb temperature sensor. 
     
     
         17 . A method for establishing a relative humidity of air within a chilled chamber of a refrigerator appliance, comprising:
 measuring a temperature of air within the chilled chamber with a dry bulb temperature sensor;   measuring the temperature of air within the chilled chamber with a wet bulb temperature sensor;   calculating a relative humidity for air within the chilled chamber of the refrigerator appliance based at least in part on the temperature of air within the chilled chamber measured with the dry bulb temperature sensor and the temperature of air within the chilled chamber measured with the wet bulb temperature sensor.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein relative humidity for air within the chilled chamber of the refrigerator appliance is correlated to a difference between the temperature of air within the chilled chamber measured with the dry bulb temperature sensor and the temperature of air within the chilled chamber measured with the wet bulb temperature sensor at said step of calculating. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising directing liquid water from an evaporator of the refrigerator appliance to a reservoir positioned at the wet bulb temperature sensor prior to said step of measuring the temperature of air within the chilled chamber with the wet bulb temperature sensor. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising operating an air handler of the refrigerator appliance in order to direct a flow of air across the wet bulb temperature sensor during said step of measuring the temperature of air within the chilled chamber with the wet bulb temperature sensor.