CN110940137A

CN110940137A - Refrigerator and control method thereof

Info

Publication number: CN110940137A
Application number: CN201911320688.0A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 卢起彪; 刘华; 韩鹏; 邓涵; 朱文琪; 孟贺; 陆文怡; 周琳琳
Original assignee: Gree Electric Appliances Inc of Zhuhai
Current assignee: Gree Electric Appliances Inc of Zhuhai
Priority date: 2019-12-19
Filing date: 2019-12-19
Publication date: 2020-03-31

Abstract

The invention provides a refrigerator and a control method thereof, wherein the refrigerator comprises a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, a first three-way valve and a second three-way valve which are arranged between the compressor and the condenser, and an on-off valve which is arranged between the compressor and the evaporator, wherein the refrigeration or defrosting circulation of a refrigerator system is realized by controlling the switching of the passages of the first three-way valve and the second three-way valve and controlling the on-off valve to be opened and closed. According to the refrigerator provided by the invention, the first three-way valve and the second three-way valve are additionally arranged between the compressor and the condenser, and the circulation of a refrigerant in different loops in the refrigerator system is realized by reversing the first three-way valve and the second three-way valve and controlling the on-off of the on-off valve, so that the refrigeration and defrosting processes of the refrigerator system are realized. The operation of defrosting the refrigerator by an electric heater is not needed, and moreover, compared with defrosting by electric heating, defrosting by high-temperature gaseous refrigerant has the advantages of higher efficiency, lower energy consumption, better effect, safety and reliability.

Description

Refrigerator and control method thereof

Technical Field

The invention belongs to the technical field of refrigerators, and particularly relates to a refrigerator and a control method thereof.

Background

The air-cooled refrigerator has an automatic defrosting function, a defrosting mode which is commonly adopted is that an electric heater defrosts, an electric heating pipe is arranged below an evaporator, and natural convection is formed by heating air and the heat radiation of an electric heating pipe defrosts the evaporator. The defrosting method has the advantages of low defrosting efficiency, long defrosting time, high defrosting power consumption, influence of natural convection hot air during defrosting, higher rising temperature of the freezing chamber, higher bacterial reproduction speed and shortened quality guarantee period of food materials.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention aims to provide a refrigerator to solve the problem of poor defrosting effect in the prior art.

In order to achieve the purpose, the invention adopts the technical scheme that: the utility model provides a refrigerator, includes compressor, condenser and evaporimeter, still including setting up the compressor with first three-way valve and second three-way valve between the condenser set up the compressor with on-off valve between the evaporimeter is through control first three-way valve with the route of second three-way valve switches, and control opening and closing of on-off valve realizes the refrigeration or the defrosting circulation of refrigerator system.

Further, the first three-way valve has ports a1, B1 and C1, the second three-way valve has ports a2, B2 and C2, the port a1 is communicated with the exhaust pipe of the compressor, the port B1 is communicated with one end of the first connecting pipe, and the port C1 is communicated with one end of the second connecting pipe; the interface A2 is connected with one end of the condenser, the interface B2 is communicated with one end of a third connecting pipe, and the interface C2 is communicated with the other end of the first connecting pipe; the other end of the second connecting pipe is connected with an inlet pipeline of the on-off valve, and the other end of the third connecting pipe is communicated with an outlet pipeline of the on-off valve.

Further, when the refrigerator refrigerates, the interface A1 is conducted with the interface B1, the interface A2 is conducted with the interface C2, the first connecting pipe is communicated, and the second connecting pipe is closed; the third connecting pipe is closed, and the on-off valve is opened.

Further, when the refrigerator defrosts, the interface A1 and the interface C1 are conducted, the interface A2 and the interface B2 are conducted, the first connecting pipe is closed, the second connecting pipe is communicated, the third connecting pipe is communicated, and the on-off valve is closed.

Further, the first and/or second three-way valves are electrically operated valves.

Further, the refrigerator also comprises a throttling device, wherein the throttling device comprises an electromagnetic expansion valve and an electric expansion valve.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a control method of a refrigerator, the control method being used for controlling the refrigerator, the control method of the refrigerator comprising comparing a detected first temperature of an evaporator with a first preset temperature or comparing a refrigerating time with a first preset time in a refrigerating mode, and determining whether the refrigerator enters a defrosting mode; if the first temperature is higher than the first preset temperature or the refrigerating time is less than the first preset time, the refrigerator continues to keep a refrigerating mode; if the first temperature is not higher than the first preset temperature or the refrigerating time is not shorter than the first preset time, the refrigerator ends the refrigerating mode and starts to judge whether to enter a defrosting mode.

Further, the defrosting mode comprises the step of comparing the detected second temperature of the evaporator with a second preset temperature, or comparing the defrosting time with a second preset time, and judging whether the refrigerator enters the refrigeration mode; if the second temperature is not lower than the second preset temperature or the defrosting time is not lower than the second preset time, the refrigerator enters a refrigeration mode; if the second temperature is lower than the second preset temperature, or the defrosting time is lower than the second preset time, the refrigerator continues to maintain the defrosting mode.

Further, the defrosting mode further comprises whether a refrigerant heating module needs to be started or not, the ambient temperature in the refrigerator is compared with a third preset temperature, and if the ambient temperature exceeds the third preset temperature, the refrigerator enters the defrosting mode; and if the ambient temperature does not exceed the third preset temperature, the refrigerant heating module is started, and the refrigerator enters a defrosting mode.

The refrigerator provided by the invention has the beneficial effects that: compared with the prior art, the invention adds the first three-way valve and the second three-way valve between the compressor and the condenser, and realizes the circulation of refrigerant in different loops in the refrigerator system by controlling the reversing of the first three-way valve and the second three-way valve and the on-off of the on-off valve, thereby realizing the refrigeration and defrosting processes of the refrigerator system. The operation of defrosting the refrigerator by an electric heater is not needed, and moreover, compared with defrosting by electric heating, defrosting by high-temperature gaseous refrigerant has the advantages of higher efficiency, lower energy consumption, better effect, safety and reliability. And the method conforms to humanized and industrialized design.

Drawings

In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings needed to be used in the embodiments or the prior art descriptions will be briefly described below, and it is obvious that the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present invention, and it is obvious for those skilled in the art to obtain other drawings based on these drawings without inventive exercise.

Fig. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a refrigeration process performed by a refrigerator system according to an embodiment of the present invention, and a part of the structure is not shown;

fig. 2 is a schematic structural diagram of a defrosting process of the refrigerator system according to an embodiment of the present invention, and a part of the structure is not shown;

fig. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a control method of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Wherein, in the drawings, the reference numerals are mainly as follows:

1. a compressor; 2. a condenser; 3. an evaporator; 4. a first three-way valve; 5. a second three-way valve; 6. an on-off valve; 7. a first connecting pipe; 8. a second connecting pipe; 9. a third connecting pipe; 10. a throttling device; 11. refrigerant heating module.

Detailed Description

In order to make the technical problems, technical solutions and advantageous effects to be solved by the present invention more clearly apparent, the present invention is further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention.

Referring to fig. 1 and fig. 2 together, a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention will now be described. The refrigerator comprises a compressor 1, a condenser 2, an evaporator 3 and a throttling device 10. Still include first three-way valve 4, second three-way valve 5 and on-off valve 6, first three-way valve 4 and second three-way valve 5 set up between compressor 1 and condenser 2, and on-off valve 6 sets up between compressor 1 and evaporimeter 3, at the in-process of using, to first three-way valve 4, the control of switching-over is carried out to 5 passageways of second three-way valve, simultaneously to on-off valve 6 regulation and control of opening and closing, the switching of the refrigeration process and the defrosting process of realization to refrigerator system. In the using process, the refrigerating and defrosting process of the refrigerator is realized by the circulation of the refrigerant in the device. When defrosting, high-temperature gaseous refrigerant enters the coil pipe of the evaporator 3 to heat the coil pipe of the evaporator 3, so that frost on the evaporator 3 is quickly separated, and a frost layer can be completely melted in a short time. In the traditional electric heating defrosting, the frost layer is heated in a radiation convection mode, and the melting speed of the frost layer is low. Tests show that the working time of electric heating is about three times of that of high-temperature gaseous refrigerant defrosting, and the power is about two times of that of hot defrosting. In addition, more than 60% of heat generated by the high-temperature gaseous refrigerant is used for melting a frost layer, and 40% of heat is used for heating the evaporation cavity and the freezing chamber; only 30% of heat generated by electric heating is used for melting the frost layer, and 70% of heat is used for heating the evaporation cavity and the freezing chamber, so that the temperature of the freezing chamber is slightly increased when the high-temperature gaseous refrigerant is defrosted.

Compared with the prior art, the refrigerator provided by the invention has the advantages that the first three-way valve 4 and the second three-way valve 5 are additionally arranged between the compressor 1 and the condenser 2, and the circulation of a refrigerant in different loops in the refrigerator system is realized by reversing the first three-way valve 4 and the second three-way valve 5 and controlling the on-off of the on-off valve 6, so that the processes of refrigeration and defrosting of the refrigerator system are realized. The operation of defrosting the refrigerator by an electric heater is not needed, and moreover, compared with defrosting by electric heating, defrosting by high-temperature gaseous refrigerant has the advantages of higher efficiency, lower energy consumption, better effect, safety and reliability. And the method conforms to humanized and industrialized design.

Further, referring to fig. 1 and 2 together, as an embodiment of the refrigerator provided by the present invention, the first three-way valve 4 has ports a1, B1 and C1, the second three-way valve 5 has ports a2, B2 and C2, the port a1 is communicated with the exhaust port of the compressor 1, the first connection pipe 7 is connected between the port B1 and the port C2, the port C1 is connected with the second connection pipe 8, one end of the second connection pipe 8 away from the port C1 is connected between the evaporator 3 and the on-off valve 6, the port a2 is connected to one end of the condenser 2, the port B2 is connected with the third connection pipe 9, and one end of the third connection pipe 9 away from the port B2 is connected between the compressor 1 and the on-off valve 6.

When the refrigeration process is needed, the interface a1 and the interface B1 are conducted, the interface a2 and the interface C2 are conducted, the first connecting pipe 7 is connected, the second connecting pipe 8 and the third connecting pipe 9 are closed, and the on-off valve 6 is opened, so that the flow direction of the refrigerant is as follows: compressor 1 → interface a1 → interface B1 → interface C2 → interface a2 → condenser 2 → throttling device 10 → evaporator 3 → on-off valve 6 → compressor 1. The refrigeration process is performed by the circulation of the refrigerant, and the refrigeration principle is not described herein again.

When the defrosting process needs to be performed, the interface a1 and the interface C1 are conducted, the interface a2 and the interface B2 are conducted, the first connecting pipe 7 is closed, the second connecting pipe 8 and the third connecting pipe 9 are connected, and the on-off valve 6 is closed, so that the flow direction of the refrigerant is as follows: compressor 1 → interface a1 → interface C1 → evaporator 3 → throttle device 10 → condenser 2 → interface a2 → interface B2 → third connecting pipe 9 → compressor 1. The cycle of the refrigerant performs the process of heating and defrosting, and the heating principle is not described herein again.

Further, as a specific embodiment of the refrigerator provided by the present invention, the first three-way valve 4 and/or the second three-way valve 5 are/is selected as an electric valve, and compared with a four-way valve in which a pressure difference between a condensing pressure and an evaporating pressure is required to overcome a friction force to realize a reversing, the reversing of the electric valve is more direct and simple.

Further, as a specific embodiment of the refrigerator provided by the present invention, the throttling device 10 includes, but is not limited to, an electromagnetic expansion valve and an electric expansion valve, and details thereof are not repeated herein.

Further, referring to fig. 1 and fig. 2 together, a refrigerant heating module 11 is further disposed between the throttling device 10 and the condenser 2, the refrigerant heating module 11 in the present invention adopts a hot defrosting mode, a high temperature refrigerant directly heats the coil of the evaporator 3 to melt the frost layer, most of the heat of the refrigerant is used for defrosting, only a small amount of air in the refrigerator is heated, and through experimental detection, about 70% of the high temperature refrigerant is used for defrosting. Compared with an electric heating mode, the electric heating device is generally installed at the bottom of the evaporator 3 and has a certain distance with a coil pipe and fins of the evaporator 3, the frost layer on the evaporator 3 is mainly heated in a heat radiation and natural convection mode, through experimental detection, most of heat generated by the electric heater is used for heating air in the refrigerator and is only used for defrosting a small amount, the heat used by defrosting is about 30%, the defrosting efficiency is low, the defrosting time is long, and in the defrosting process, the temperature rise of the air in the refrigerator is high. The invention adopts the refrigerant heating module 11 to replace an electric heating device and adopts a heater heating mode to replace a heat radiation and natural convection mode, thereby not only improving the defrosting efficiency and effect, but also saving the energy consumed for heating.

The invention also discloses a control method of the refrigerator, please refer to fig. 1 to fig. 3, the control method is used for controlling the refrigerator, the flow direction of the refrigerant in the refrigerator is mentioned before in the refrigeration mode, which is not described herein again, in the refrigeration mode, the controller arranged in the refrigerator is used for detecting the first temperature of the evaporator 3 continuously in a period of time, and comparing the first temperature with the first preset temperature; or in the refrigeration mode, detecting the duration time of the refrigeration mode, namely the refrigeration time for short, by the controller, and comparing the refrigeration time with the first preset time.

If the first temperature is higher than the first preset temperature or the refrigerating time is shorter than the first preset time, the refrigerating effect in the refrigerator does not reach the expected refrigerating effect, and the refrigerator continues to carry out the refrigerating mode. If the first temperature does not exceed the first preset temperature, or the refrigeration time is shorter than the first preset time and the refrigeration time is equal to the first preset time, it indicates that the refrigeration effect of the refrigerator has reached the actually required refrigeration effect of the refrigerator. The controller controls the refrigerator to end the refrigeration mode and judges whether the refrigerator enters the defrosting mode or not.

Further, referring to fig. 1 to 3, in general, after the refrigeration mode is finished, the refrigerator enters a defrosting mode, and the flow direction of the refrigerant in the defrosting mode is not described herein, the controller detects the temperature of the evaporator 3 within a period of time, where the temperature is the second temperature, and compares the second temperature with a second preset temperature; or comparing the defrosting time with a second preset time to judge whether the refrigerator enters a refrigeration mode.

If the second temperature is not lower than the second preset temperature or the defrosting time is not lower than the second preset time, the defrosting effect of the refrigerator is judged to meet the actual defrosting requirement, and the controller controls the refrigerator to enter the refrigeration mode.

If the second temperature is lower than the second preset temperature or the defrosting time is lower than the second preset time, the difference between the defrosting effect and the actual defrosting effect requirement is determined, and the controller controls the refrigerator to continue the defrosting mode.

Further, referring to fig. 1 to 3, after the cooling mode is finished, in some cases, the defrosting mode is hard to enter directly, when the ambient temperature is low, the amount of heat that the refrigerator can absorb from the external environment is less than that in a general case, and the refrigerator is hard to enter the defrosting mode to heat and defrost. Therefore, it has been mentioned above that a refrigerant heating module 11 is further provided between the throttle device 10 and the condenser 2. Therefore, before the refrigerator actually enters the defrosting mode, the ambient temperature and the third preset temperature need to be compared, whether the refrigerator needs to be controlled to enter the defrosting mode or not is judged through comparison of the ambient temperature and the third preset temperature, the controller detects the ambient temperature and compares the ambient temperature with the third preset temperature, if the ambient temperature is higher than the third preset temperature, it is indicated that the heat absorbed by the refrigerator from the outside is enough to carry out the defrosting mode, and the refrigerator can directly enter the defrosting mode. If the ambient temperature does not exceed the third preset temperature, it indicates that the refrigerator is difficult to maintain the defrosting mode by the heat absorbed from the outside, the refrigerant heating module 11 is turned on to heat the refrigerant, so that the temperature of the refrigerant is raised until the refrigerator can perform the defrosting mode.

The above description is only for the purpose of illustrating the preferred embodiments of the present invention and is not to be construed as limiting the invention, and any modifications, equivalents and improvements made within the spirit and principle of the present invention are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. Refrigerator, including compressor (1), condenser (2) and evaporimeter (3), its characterized in that: still including setting up compressor (1) with first three-way valve (4) and second three-way valve (5) between condenser (2) set up compressor (1) with on-off valve (6) between evaporimeter (3) are through control first three-way valve (4) with the route of second three-way valve (5) is switched, and control opening and closing of on-off valve (6), realizes the refrigeration or the defrosting process of refrigerator system.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein: the first three-way valve (4) is provided with ports A1, B1 and C1, the second three-way valve (5) is provided with ports A2, B2 and C2, the port A1 is communicated with an exhaust pipe of the compressor (1), the port B1 is communicated with one end of a first connecting pipe (7), and the port C1 is communicated with one end of a second connecting pipe (8); the interface A2 is connected with one end of the condenser (2), the interface B2 is communicated with one end of a third connecting pipe (9), and the interface C2 is communicated with the other end of the first connecting pipe (7); the other end of the second connecting pipe (8) is connected between the evaporator (3) and the on-off valve (6), and the other end of the third connecting pipe (9) is connected between the on-off valve (6) and the compressor (1).

3. The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein: conducting the interface A1 and the interface B1, conducting the interface A2 and the interface C2, connecting the first connecting pipe (7), and closing the second connecting pipe (8) and the third connecting pipe (9); and opening the on-off valve (6) to carry out a refrigeration process.

4. The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein: conducting a connector A1 and a connector C1, conducting a connector A2 and a connector B2, closing the first connecting pipe (7), and connecting the second connecting pipe (8) and the third connecting pipe (9); and closing the on-off valve (6) to carry out a defrosting process.

5. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein: the first three-way valve (4) and/or the second three-way valve (5) are electrically operated valves.

6. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein: the electromagnetic expansion valve further comprises a throttling device (10), wherein the throttling device (10) comprises an electromagnetic expansion valve and an electric expansion valve.

7. The refrigerator of claim 6, wherein: and a refrigerant heating module (11) is also arranged between the throttling device (10) and the condenser (2).

8. The control method of the refrigerator is characterized in that: the method for controlling the refrigerator of any one of claims 1 to 7, the method comprising comparing a detected first temperature of the evaporator with a first preset temperature or comparing a cooling time with a first preset time in a cooling mode, and determining whether the refrigerator enters a defrosting mode;

if the first temperature is higher than the first preset temperature or the refrigerating time is less than the first preset time, the refrigerator continues to keep a refrigerating mode;

if the first temperature is not higher than the first preset temperature or the refrigerating time is not shorter than the first preset time, the refrigerator ends the refrigerating mode and starts to judge whether to enter a defrosting mode.

9. The control method of a refrigerator according to claim 8, wherein: the defrosting mode comprises the steps of comparing the detected second temperature of the evaporator with a second preset temperature, or comparing the defrosting time with a second preset time, and judging whether the refrigerator enters a refrigeration mode or not;

if the second temperature is not lower than the second preset temperature or the defrosting time is not lower than the second preset time, the refrigerator enters a refrigeration mode;

if the second temperature is lower than the second preset temperature, or the defrosting time is lower than the second preset time, the refrigerator continues to maintain the defrosting mode.

10. The control method of a refrigerator as claimed in claim 9, wherein: the defrosting mode also comprises whether a refrigerant heating module needs to be started or not, the ambient temperature in the refrigerator is compared with a third preset temperature, and if the ambient temperature exceeds the third preset temperature, the refrigerator enters the defrosting mode;

and if the ambient temperature does not exceed the third preset temperature, the refrigerant heating module is started, and the refrigerator enters a defrosting mode.