EP2699855A2

EP2699855A2 - Refrigerator with efficient cooling evaporator

Info

Publication number: EP2699855A2
Application number: EP12718935.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Vasi Kadir Ertis; Tolga Nurettin AYNUR; Nihat Kandemir
Original assignee: Arcelik AS
Current assignee: Arcelik AS
Priority date: 2011-04-20
Filing date: 2012-04-19
Publication date: 2014-02-26
Also published as: WO2012143466A3; WO2012143466A2; TR201103854A1; CN103635764B; CN103635764A

Abstract

The present invention relates to a refrigerator (1) comprising a body, one or more doors disposed at the front side of the body, a compressor providing the refrigeration cycle to be performed, a freezer or fresh food chamber (2) disposed inside the body, an evaporator (3) formed of refrigerant tube and fins, providing the chamber (2) to be cooled, an evaporator chamber (5) wherein the evaporator (3) is disposed, a fan (6) disposed at the upper side of the evaporator (3), providing the air to be passed over the evaporator (3) and to be circulated inside the chamber (2) and an air distributor (9) that provides a homogeneous air flow over the evaporator (3).

Description

REFRIGERATOR WITH EFFICIENT COOLING EVAPORATOR

The present invention relates to a refrigerator that comprises an evaporator which provides cooling of the chambers with the air being pass over the evaporator by the fan.
Refrigerators are generally formed of two chambers, the freezer chamber and the cooling chamber. In some refrigerators, the freezer chamber is cooled by the evaporator in the refrigeration cycle and the cooling chamber (the fresh food chamber) is cooled by the transfer of cold air from the freezer chamber. In no-frost double door refrigerators that are used widely, the freezer chamber and the cooling chamber are separated by a chamber wall and are cooled independently from each other with forced convection, by means of separate evaporators and the fans that are disposed close to the evaporators.
In order to cool the freezer chamber in refrigerators, generally an evaporator of fin – tube type is used that is disposed behind a shroud situated on the side of the rear wall and parallel to the rear wall. The air blown into the chamber by the fan providing air circulation is sucked from the holes at the lower part of the chamber near the door and delivered over the evaporator by means of an air return channel, the air cooled while passing over the evaporator is resent into the chamber by passing through the blowing holes on the shroud, thus air circulation in the freezer chamber is realized.
The evaporator is rectangle-shaped, with the long sides being horizontal when viewed directly from the rear or the front and the fan is disposed at the upper part of the evaporator, aligned with the middle portion of the evaporator. The air passing through the air return channel and entering the evaporator from the bottom is sucked towards the middle of the evaporator due to position of the fan. Therefore the air flow path in the evaporator is shaped to become narrower from the bottom upwards. Due to inhomogeneous air flow, dead zones in terms of air flow are formed in sections close to the right and left sides of the evaporator. The air activated by the fan does not contact sufficiently to the fluid ducts and fins on the right and left sides of the evaporator, heat transfer decreases and as a result cooling efficiency decreases and energy consumption increases.
In the state of the art United States Patent No. US7908883, a dividing wall is disposed on the heat exchanger in the freezer compartment of a refrigerator that bifurcates the air flow and accelerates the air flow. The fan sucks the air from the right side of the refrigerator freezer compartment and after passing it over the right half of the heat exchanger, directs it to the left half and the air passing from here is resent into the freezer compartment.
The aim of the present invention is the realization of a refrigerator, where the cooling efficiency is increased and energy consumption is decreased by improving heat transfer conditions between the evaporator and the air that is swept over it by the fan.
The refrigerator realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention, explicated in the first claim and the respective claims thereof, comprises an evaporator providing the freezer chamber or the fresh food chamber to be cooled, an evaporator chamber wherein the evaporator is disposed, a fan disposed above the evaporator so as to be aligned with the middle part thereof, providing the air to be circulated in the chamber by passing it over the evaporator, an air return channel that delivers sucked air from under the evaporator into the evaporator chamber and an air distributor disposed at the upper or lower part of the evaporator.
More than one hole is arranged on the air distributor that provides the air sucked by the fan from inside the chamber to be passed over the evaporator by distributing along the evaporator. The closeness or diameters of the holes are arranged so as to decrease flow rate of air affecting the middle portion of the evaporator and to increase flow rate of air affecting the side portions.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the number of holes in the unit area near the end portions of the air distributor aligned with the side portions of the evaporator is more than the center part and in another embodiment the diameters of holes at the end portions of the air distributor are greater than the diameters of the holes at the center part.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the air distributor is disposed between the fan and the evaporator or under the evaporator inside the evaporator chamber and in another embodiment is disposed in the air return channel.
The air distributor is shaped as a plate or half cylindrical shape with the concave portion facing the fan or the evaporator.
In the refrigerator of the present invention, air flow rate at the side portions of the evaporator, known as dead zones where air flow is weak, is increased, maintaining a homogeneous air flow, heat transfer is improved and cooling efficiency of the evaporator is increased.
The refrigerator realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where:
Figure 1 - is the schematic view of a refrigerator wherein an air distributor is mounted in the evaporator chamber.
Figure 2 - is the schematic view of a fan, an air distributor and an evaporator.
Figure 3 - is the perspective view of a half-cylindrical shaped air distributor in an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 4 - is the schematic view of a plate shaped air distributor in another embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 5 - is the schematic view of a refrigerator wherein an air distributor is mounted in the air return channel in another embodiment of the present invention.
The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

Refrigerator
Chamber
Evaporator
Shroud
Evaporator chamber
Fan
Air return channel
Hole
Air distributor

The refrigerator (1) comprises a body, one or more doors disposed at the front side of the body, a compressor (not shown in the figures) providing the refrigeration cycle to be performed, a freezer or fresh food chamber (2) disposed inside the body, an evaporator (3) formed of serpentine shaped refrigerant tube and fins arranged in the refrigerant tube, providing to cool the chamber (2), a shroud (4) disposed in front of the evaporator (3) and having blowing holes thereon, an evaporator chamber (5) situated between the rear wall of the chamber (2) and the shroud (4) and wherein the evaporator (3) is disposed, a fan (6) disposed at the upper side of the evaporator (3), aligned with its middle portion, providing the air to be passed over the evaporator (3) and to be circulated inside the chamber (2) and an air return channel (7) delivering the air sucked by the fan (6) to the evaporator chamber (5) from under the chamber (2).
The refrigerator (1) of the present invention comprises an air distributor (9) disposed in the vicinity of the evaporator (3) in the flow path of the air that sweeps the evaporator (3), having holes (8), that provide the air sucked by the fan (6) to be passed over the evaporator (3) by distributing it along the evaporator (3) and the closeness and/or largeness of which are arranged so that the effect of air flow rate is more at the side portions of the evaporator (3) than the effect of air flow rate at the middle portion of the evaporator (3).
In an embodiment of the present invention, the amount of holes (8) in the unit area at the end portions of the air distributor (9) is more than the amount of holes (8) in the unit area at the middle portion.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the diameter of the holes (8) at the end portions of the air distributor (9) is greater than the diameter of the holes (8) at the middle portion.
In the refrigerator (1), the heat transfer between air and the refrigerant tube serpentines close to the sides of the evaporator (3), for example the right and left sides, and the fins at these areas is improved. The air sucked from inside the chamber (2) by the fan (6) is passed over the evaporator (3). The air passing through the air return channel (7) passes through the holes (8) on the air distributor (9) prior to the evaporator (3) or just after passing over the evaporator (3). The air distributor (9) forms a more intense air flow at the side portions of the evaporator (3) as compared to the middle portion due to said distribution of the holes (8). The suction effect of the fan (6), contrary to the air distributor (9), is more at the middle portions of the evaporator (3) and as a result of complementary effects of the fan (6) and the air distributor (9) on the air flow, the air flow at the side portions and the middle portion of the evaporator (3) is balanced thereby both the side portions and the middle portion of the evaporator (3) are swept with air having almost the same air flow rate and a homogeneous air flow is maintained over the evaporator (3).
In an embodiment of the present invention, the evaporator (3) is disposed vertically inside the evaporator chamber (5) and the air distributor (9) is disposed to the upper side (Figure 1, Figure 2) or lower side of the evaporator (3) inside the evaporator chamber (5).
In another embodiment of the present invention, the air distributor (9) is disposed between the fan (6) and the evaporator (3) inside the evaporator chamber (5) (Figure 1, Figure 2). In this embodiment, when the fan (6) operates, the air sucked from inside the chamber (2) by means of the air return channel (7) reaches the air distributor (9) after passing over the evaporator (3) and passes through the holes (8) on the air distributor (9) that become closer towards the sides. Since particularly the upper right and upper left corners of the evaporator (3) are weak sections in terms of air flow, in this embodiment, the said sections are swept by an effective air flow.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the air distributor (9) is disposed in the air return channel (7) (Figure 5). In this embodiment, the air sucked from inside the chamber (2) by the fan (6) first passes through the air distributor (9) inside the air return channel (7) and afterwards through the evaporator (3), thus the evaporator (3) is swept homogeneously by air.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the front or rear view of the evaporator (3) is rectangular-shaped and is disposed inside the evaporator chamber (5) with the long sides being horizontal. The air distributor (9) extends parallel to the long sides of the evaporator (3) and almost all along the evaporator (3).
In another embodiment of the present invention, the air distributor (9) is shaped as a plate (Figure 4).
In another embodiment of the present invention, the air distributor (9) is half cylindrical in shape with its concave portion facing the fan (6) or the evaporator (3) (Figure 1, Figure 3). In this embodiment, a greater number of holes (8) in vertical direction to the air flow can be bored on the air distributor (9), than on the flat plate shape, and the flow rate of air delivered unto the evaporator (3) is increased.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the air distributor (9) is produced from plastic.
In the refrigerator (1) of the present invention, the flow rate of air sweeping from the side portions of the evaporator (3) is increased by means of the air distributor (9) disposed in the vicinity of the evaporator (3), a homogeneous air flow over the evaporator (3) is provided, the heat transfer from the evaporator (3) to air, hence the cooling efficiency is improved and the energy consumption of the refrigerator (1) is decreased.
It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited by the embodiments disclosed above and a person skilled in the art can easily introduce different embodiments. These should be considered within the scope of the protection disclosed by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

A refrigerator (1) comprising a freezer or fresh food chamber (2), an evaporator (3) providing the chamber (2) to be cooled, an evaporator chamber (5) wherein the evaporator (3) is disposed, and a fan (6) providing the air to be circulated inside the chamber (2) by passing it over the evaporator (3), characterized in that an air distributor (9) disposed in the vicinity of the evaporator (3) in the flow path of the air that sweeps the evaporator (3), having holes (8), that provided the air sucked by the fan (6) to be passed over the evaporator (3) by distributing it along the evaporator (3) and the closeness and/or largeness of which are arranged so that the effect of air flow rate is more at the side portions of the evaporator (3) than the effect of air flow rate at the middle portion of the evaporator (3).
A refrigerator (1) as in Claim 1, characterized in that the air distributor (9) wherein the amount of holes (8) in the unit area at the end portions is more than the amount of holes (8) in the unit area at the middle portion.
A refrigerator (1) as in Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the air distributor (9) wherein the diameter of the holes (8) at the end portions is greater than the diameter of the holes (8) at the middle portion.
A refrigerator (1) as in any one of the above Claims, characterized in that the evaporator (3) that is disposed vertically inside the evaporator chamber (5) and the air distributor (9) that is disposed to the upper side or lower side of the evaporator (3) inside the evaporator chamber (5)
A refrigerator (1) as in any one of the above Claims, characterized in that the air distributor (9) that is disposed between the fan (6) and the evaporator (3) inside the evaporator chamber (5).
A refrigerator (1) as in any one of the Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that an air return channel (7) that delivers the air sucked by the fan (6) into the evaporator chamber (5) and the air distributor (9) that is disposed inside the air return channel (7).
A refrigerator (1) as in any one of the above Claims, characterized in that the rectangular-shaped evaporator (3) and the air distributor (9) that extends parallel to the long sides of the evaporator (3) and almost all along the evaporator (3).
A refrigerator (1) as in any one of the above Claims, characterized in that the plate-shaped air distributor (9).
A refrigerator (1) as in any one of the Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the half cylindrical-shaped air distributor (9) with its concave portion facing the fan (6) or the evaporator (3).
A refrigerator (1) as in any one of the above Claims, characterized in that the air distributor (9) that is produced from plastic.