JP2012112566A - Refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a refrigerator for quickly performing the quick freezing and cooling of a freezer.SOLUTION: A refrigerator 1 in this embodiment includes a cooler 8 for cooling a freezer 5, a fan 9 for circulating air by performing the heat exchange of air in the freezer with the cold of the cooler and returning the cooled air to the freezer, a fan control part 30 for variably controlling the revolving speed of the fan, and a quick freezing command operation part 40 for inputting a quick freezing operation mode command to the fan control part in response to the operation. The fan control part controls the fan to rotate by raising the revolving speed of the fan to that which is larger than the rated speed of the fan only by a prescribed width in response to the quick freezing operation mode command from the quick freezing command operation part.

Description

  The embodiment relates to a refrigerator.

  In a conventional refrigerator, the number of rotations of the cooling fan is set to a maximum value when performing quick freezing or quick ice making. However, the fan may fail to start at the maximum value due to variations in fan performance or drive voltage. Thus, when starting fails, the setting value of the rotation speed is kept at the maximum value, and restarting is repeated until the starting is successful. For this reason, depending on the conditions, the fan could not be restarted, ended in error, and quick freezing or quick ice making could not be performed.

JP 2000-2476 A JP 2002-31464 A

  This invention is made | formed in view of the subject of the said prior art, and it aims at providing the refrigerator which can perform quick freezing cooling of a freezing room within a short time.

  The refrigerator of the embodiment includes a cooler that cools the freezer compartment, a fan that causes the air in the freezer compartment to exchange heat with the cold heat of the cooler, and to return the cooled air to the freezer compartment, and the rotational speed of the fan And a quick freezing command operation unit for receiving a command to input a quick freezing operation mode command to the fan control unit. In response to the command, the fan is controlled to rotate at a maximum rotational speed that is larger by a predetermined width than the rated rotational speed of the fan.

  According to the refrigerator of the embodiment, the fan control unit receives the quick freezing operation mode command from the quick freezing command operation unit, and raises the fan to the maximum rotational speed that is larger than the rated rotational speed of the fan by a predetermined width. The freezer compartment can be quickly frozen and cooled in a short time.

The longitudinal cross-sectional view of the refrigerator of 1st Embodiment. The block diagram of the refrigerating cycle of the refrigerator of the said embodiment. The block diagram of the cooling control system in the refrigerator of the said embodiment. The flowchart of the cooling control in the refrigerator of the said embodiment.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 shows a refrigerator 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which a refrigerator compartment 2, a vegetable compartment 3, an ice making compartment 4, and a freezer compartment 5 are provided in a compartment. On the back of the vegetable compartment 3, the R cooler 6 for cooling the refrigerator compartment, the air in the refrigerator compartment 2 and the vegetable compartment 3 is heat-exchanged with the cold heat of the R cooler 6, and sprayed into the refrigerator compartment 2 and the vegetable compartment 3 An R fan 7 is installed to perform cold air circulation. The ice making room 4 and the freezing room 5 are provided with an F cooler 8 for cooling the freezing room, and the air in the ice making room 4 and the freezing room 53 is subjected to heat exchange with the cold heat of the F cooler 8. An F fan 9 is installed to perform cold air circulation to be ejected into the freezer compartment 5. In the ice making chamber 4, an automatic ice making device 11, an ice making tray 12 for storing water to be made by the automatic ice making device 11, and ice made and automatically discharged from the ice making tray 12 are stored. An ice storage box 14 for storing ice is provided. Reference numeral 15 is a compressor, and 16 is a return duct for refrigerated cold air.

  FIG. 2 shows a refrigeration cycle. In the refrigeration cycle, a compressor 15, a condenser 17, and a three-way valve 18 are connected by a refrigerant pipe 19, and at one outlet of the three-way valve 18, a refrigerator compartment capillary tube 20, a refrigerator compartment cooler (R cooler). 6 is connected. A freezer compartment capillary tube 21 and a freezer compartment cooling (F cooler) 8 are connected to the other outlet of the three-way valve 18. A refrigerant pipe 19 is connected to the outlet side of the refrigerator compartment cooler 6 so as to return to the compressor 15. A refrigerant pipe 19 is connected to the outlet side of the freezer cooler 8 so as to return to the compressor 15 through the accumulator 22 and the check valve 10.

  In this refrigeration cycle, the refrigerant compressed by the compressor 15 is condensed into a liquid by the condenser 17, and this liquid refrigerant is switched to the refrigerator compartment cooler 6 and the freezer compartment cooler 8 by the three-way valve 18. Then, the liquid refrigerant is vaporized by the respective coolers 6 and 8, and the coolers 6 and 8 are cooled to a low temperature state by the heat of vaporization at that time.

  Then, the refrigerating room cooler 6 is cooled by passing the refrigerating room cooler 6 through the air circulating through the refrigerating room 2 and the vegetable room 3 by the rotation of the refrigerating room cooling fan 7 described above, and is blown out again into the refrigerating room 2 and the vegetable room 3. The inside of the refrigerator compartment 2 is cooled by this. Similarly, the freezing room cooling fan 9 is rotated by passing the freezing room cooler 8 through the air circulating through the ice making room 4 and the freezing room 5, and is then blown out again into the ice making room 4 and the freezing room 5. Then, the ice making chamber 4 and the freezing chamber 5 are cooled. The control device 30 controls the compressor 15, the three-way valve 18, and the cooling fans 7 and 9 in this refrigeration cycle.

  Next, the cooling operation by the refrigerator will be described with reference to the control block diagram of FIG. A refrigerator temperature sensor 31 is installed at an appropriate place in the refrigerator compartment 2 and outputs the refrigerator compartment temperature TRout to the control device 30. A freezer temperature sensor 32 is installed at an appropriate place in the freezer room 5, and outputs the freezer temperature TFout to the control device 30. A cold room temperature sensor 33 is installed on the cold air outlet side of the cold room cooler 6 and outputs the cold room temperature TRin for the cold room to the control device 30. A freezer compartment cold air temperature sensor 34 is installed on the cold air outlet side of the freezer compartment cooler 9, and outputs the freezer compartment cold air temperature TFin to the control device 30. Furthermore, a quick freezing operation button 40 is provided on an operation panel (not shown) installed on the refrigerator door.

  An R fan speed sensor 35 that detects the rotational speed of the refrigerator compartment cooling fan (R fan) 6 is installed, and the R fan rotational speed RFsp is output to the control device 30. An F fan speed sensor 36 that detects the rotational speed of the freezer compartment cooling fan (F fan) 9 is installed, and the F fan rotational speed FFsp is output to the control device 30.

  The control device 30 uses these temperature inputs TRout, TRin, TFout, TFin, rotation speed inputs RFsp, FFsp, and also uses the time information of the built-in timer to rotate / stop the compressor 15, the R fan 7, and the F fan 9. The rotational speed, check valve 10 and three-way valve 18 are controlled to open and close. Furthermore, the cooling control of the refrigerator compartment 2 and the freezer compartment 5 by the control device 30 is as follows. It is not necessarily limited to this.

  On the refrigerating room 2 side, the air in the refrigerating room 2 and the vegetable room 3 is sucked out by the R fan 7, and the cold air for cooling the refrigerating room exchanged with the R cooler 6 is blown out again into the refrigerating room 2. Cool the vegetable compartment 3.

  As for the cooling of the freezer compartment 3 side, the air in the freezer compartment 5 is sucked out by the F fan 9, passed through the F cooler 8, cooled to the cold air for cooling the freezer compartment, and blown out into the ice making room 4 and the freezer compartment 5. The ice making chamber 4 and the large freezing chamber 5 are cooled.

  The refrigeration room and freezing room cooling operations are alternately performed for each preset time. In this case, when the set time comes, the three-way valve 18 is switched from the R cooler 6 side to the F cooler 8 side, In contrast, the refrigerant is alternately switched to the R cooler 6 and the F cooler 8, and at the same time, the R fan 7 and the F fan 9 are rotated at a predetermined rotational speed below the rating.

  For example, when the refrigerating room temperature TRout reaches the set temperature, the three-way valve 18 is switched to the F cooler 8 side and the R fan 7 is stopped in order to stop the refrigerating room cooling operation even if the set time has not elapsed. Similarly, in order to stop the freezer cooling operation when the freezer temperature TFout reaches the set temperature, the F fan 9 is stopped while the three-way valve 18 is set on the F cooler 8 side.

  After that, the refrigerator compartment temperature TRout and the freezer compartment temperature TFout are continuously monitored, and when they rise above a certain temperature with respect to the set temperature, the respective cooling operations are resumed.

  Next, the control operation in the quick freezing operation mode will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. At least the freezer compartment cooling fan (F fan) 9 is rotated by a motor capable of variable speed operation by inverter control, and the control device 30 variably controls the rotational speed n of the F fan 9 according to temperature conditions. To do.

  When the user needs quick freezing, when the quick freezing operation button 40 is operated, the control device 30 shifts to the quick freezing operation mode (step S1).

  In the quick freezing operation mode, the control device 30 sets the three-way valve 18 to the F cooler 8 side, and rotates the rotational speed n of the F fan 9 at a preset maximum rotational speed VFmax (step S2). As will be described later, this VFmax is higher than the maximum rotational speed VNmax during normal operation of the F fan 9, and is at a high rotational speed at which the motor of the F fan 9 can be continuously operated for a certain period of time without causing a failure. Is set. For example, when the maximum rotation speed VNmax during normal operation of the F fan 9 is about 80% of the rated speed Vmax, the maximum rotation speed VFmax during quick freezing operation is set to 15% higher than the rated speed Vmax. .

  If the start-up at this high speed rotation VFmax is successful, the quick freezing operation is continued (branch to YES in step S3). When the freezer compartment temperature TFout of the freezer compartment 5 becomes equal to the freezer compartment cold air temperature TFin and the freezing operation continues for a certain time (for example, 1 hour), the quick freezing operation is terminated (step S4). ) F fan 9 is stopped (step S5). Thereafter, the process shifts to normal refrigeration / refrigeration operation control (step S6).

  If activation of the F fan 9 at the maximum rotation speed VFmax during the quick freezing operation in step S2 fails, the rotation speed of the F fan 9 is decreased by a certain width Δn, and the control shifts to restart (NO in step S3). Branch to). In the restart control, whenever the restart fails, the rotation speed setting value of the F fan 9 is lowered by a certain width Δn to try restart (steps S7 to S9).

  If restart to a certain rotational speed set value is successful, the process branches to YES in step S9 and proceeds to step S4, and the quick freezing operation is started at the rotational speed set value n that has been successfully restarted. When the freezer compartment temperature TFout of the freezer compartment 5 becomes equal to the freezer compartment cold air temperature TFin and the freezing operation continues for a certain time (for example, 1 hour), the quick freezing operation is terminated (step S4). ) F fan 9 is stopped (step S5). Thereafter, the process shifts to normal refrigeration / refrigeration operation control (step S6).

  For example, when the rated rotational speed Vmax of the F fan 9 is 2000 rpm and the fan rotational speed VNmax during normal freezing is set to 1800 rpm due to noise problems, conventionally, the maximum rotational speed during quick freezing operation is set. VFmax = 2000 rpm was set. In the case of the present embodiment, the upper limit of the driveable rotational speed in consideration of the motor characteristics of the F fan 9 and the variation of the input voltage is about 2300 rpm, which is 15% faster than the rating. When the probability is extremely low, the maximum rotational speed VFmax of the quick freezing operation is set to 2300 rpm. If the activation fails, Δn with respect to the rotation speed setting value n is set to Δn = 100 rpm, the rotation speed setting value n is decreased by 100 rpm (= n−Δn), and the restart attempt is repeated until the activation is successful. . This numerical value is an example, and is changed according to the characteristics of the F fan motor. It is preferable to set the maximum speed that is higher than the rated rotational speed and that does not break down during the quick freezing operation time, for example, one hour of continuous operation, and can be started.

  According to the refrigerator of the present embodiment, at the time of quick freezing operation transition, the rotational speed set value of the F fan 9 is set to a higher rotational speed than the rotational speed set value during normal freezing operation and is started. Therefore, freezing and cooling can be performed more rapidly than during normal freezing operation.

  In addition, if the startup fails when the rotational speed setting value of the F fan 9 is set to a higher rotational speed than usual during the quick freezing operation transition, the system restarts while lowering the rotational speed setting value by a certain width. Therefore, even if the rotational speed during the quick freezing operation varies due to variations in the characteristics of the F fan 9, the F fan 9 is rotated at a higher speed than during the normal freezing operation. The probability of being able to be produced is high, and freezing and cooling can be performed more rapidly than during normal freezing operation.

[Other embodiments]
In the first embodiment, the activation control of the F fan 9 in the quick freezing operation mode has been described for the refrigerator having the quick freezing operation mode. The present invention is not limited to this embodiment. For example, in a refrigerator having a quick ice making operation mode, the F fan 9 is operated in a normal freezing operation in the rapid ice making operation mode as in the first embodiment. It is also possible to start by setting a speed higher than the rotational speed of the hour and to automatically adjust the direction of the cold air so that the frozen cold air is intensively blown out into the ice making chamber 4.

  In the first embodiment, the refrigerator having the refrigerator compartment and the freezer compartment and the R cooler 5 and the F cooler 7 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Even in the 1-eva type refrigerator that is cooled by the other cooler, in the quick freezing operation mode, the cooling fan for the single cooler is set at a speed higher than the rotation speed during the normal cooling operation as in the first embodiment. If it starts by setting it to the maximum rotation speed which can be driven high, and it fails in starting, it can repeat the control which tries a restart, reducing a rotation speed setting value only by a fixed width | variety.

  Furthermore, for a refrigerator having only a freezing function, if the operation control function in the quick freezing operation mode is provided separately from the normal freezing operation, the same control as that in the first embodiment is performed in the quick freezing operation mode. Can be performed.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Refrigerator 2 Refrigerated room 3 Vegetable room 4 Ice making room 5 Freezer room 6 Refrigerated room cooler (R cooler)
7 Cold room cooling fan (R fan)
8 Freezer cooler (F cooler)
9 Freezer cooling fan (F fan)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Check valve 15 Compressor 18 Three-way valve 30 Control apparatus 31 Refrigerating room temperature sensor 32 Freezing room temperature sensor 33 Cold room temperature sensor 34 Freezing room temperature sensor 35 R Fan speed sensor 36 F Fan speed sensor 40 Quick freezing Driving button

Claims (3)

A cooler for cooling the freezer compartment;
A fan for causing the air in the freezer compartment to exchange heat with the cold heat of the cooler, and circulating the cooled air back to the freezer compartment;
A fan control unit that variably controls the rotation speed of the fan;
A quick freezing command operation unit that receives an operation and inputs a quick freezing operation mode command to the fan control unit;
The fan control unit receives the quick freezing operation mode command from the quick freezing command operation unit, and performs control to raise the fan to a rotational speed larger than the rated rotational speed of the fan by a predetermined width and rotate the fan. A refrigerator characterized by.   The fan control unit receives a quick freezing operation mode command from the quick freezing command operation unit, rotates the fan rotation speed setting value to the maximum rotation speed, and starts the operation at the maximum rotation speed. 2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein in the case of failure, the rotation speed setting value of the fan is lowered by a certain width and restarted.   The fan control unit restarts the fan with a rotation speed setting value lowered by a certain width when the fan fails to start at the maximum rotation speed, and with the rotation speed setting value lowered by the certain width. 2. The control according to claim 1, wherein when the restart of the fan fails, the fan is restarted until the start is successful while the rotation speed setting value is decreased by a predetermined width thereafter. refrigerator.

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