JP5376796B2 - refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a refrigerator capable of suppressing degradation of cooling efficiency caused by flooded refrigerant, loss of power consumption and increase of noise. <P>SOLUTION: This refrigerator 10 comprising a refrigerating cycle 50, and a radiation fan 73 for cooling a compressor 56 disposed in the refrigerating cycle 50, further comprises an outside temperature sensor 68 detecting a room temperature, a load detecting means 47 detecting load of the refrigerating cycle 50, and a control means 66 executing a first control mode for stopping a radiation fan 73 when the outside temperature sensor 68 detects a temperature lower than a first prescribed temperature, and shifting to a second control mode for rotating the radiation fan 73 when the load detecting means 47 detects a high load state of the refrigerating cycle 50 during the execution of the first control mode. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a refrigerator provided with a heat dissipation fan for cooling a compressor constituting a refrigeration cycle.

  In the refrigerator, by lowering the temperature of the compressor and the condenser constituting the refrigeration cycle, the condensation temperature of the refrigerant is lowered to improve the cooling efficiency, and the loss due to the rise in the winding temperature of the compressor motor is reduced. The heat radiation fan is rotated to correspond to the driving of the compressor to radiate heat from the compressor and the condenser.

  However, when the outside air temperature is low, for example, when the temperature of the refrigerator installation place is 10 ° C. or less, the temperature of the compressor is excessively lowered by driving the heat radiating fan, and the amount of refrigerant that dissolves in the refrigeration oil increases. This causes a so-called refrigerant stagnation phenomenon in which the cooling efficiency is lowered without being circulated through the refrigeration cycle.

  Therefore, conventionally, the cooling fan is prevented from being overcooled by stopping the heat dissipating fan independently of the driving of the compressor under a condition where the outside air temperature is low (for example, Patent Documents). 1).

However, in the case where the ambient temperature of the refrigerator installation location is a medium or higher room temperature, for example, 10 ° C. to 20 ° C., when the heat dissipating fan is stopped in the same manner as when the outside air temperature is low, hot food is put in suddenly. However, when the load is high, the refrigerant condensation temperature cannot be lowered sufficiently and the cooling efficiency may deteriorate.On the other hand, if the heat dissipation fan continues to rotate while the internal temperature is stable at the set temperature, There is a problem that an unnecessary heat dissipation fan is driven, resulting in a loss of power consumption and an increase in noise.
JP 2003-287334 A

  The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a refrigerator capable of suppressing power consumption loss and noise increase.

The refrigerator of the present invention is a refrigerator including a refrigeration cycle and a heat dissipating fan that cools a compressor included in the refrigeration cycle. An outside temperature sensor that detects a room temperature, and a load detection unit that detects a load of the refrigeration cycle. When the outside temperature sensor detects a temperature equal to or lower than the first predetermined temperature, a first control mode for stopping the heat radiating fan is executed, and the load detection means is in a high load state of the refrigeration cycle during the execution of the first control mode. And a control means for shifting to the second control mode for rotating the heat radiating fan when the control is detected, and the control means is in the second control mode until the defrosting of the refrigerator is executed after the power is turned on. Execution is prohibited.

  In the refrigerator of the present invention, since the rotation of the heat dissipation fan is controlled according to the load of the refrigeration cycle, it is possible to suppress a decrease in cooling efficiency and an increase in noise.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator 10 according to the present embodiment, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the refrigerator 10, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of a refrigeration cycle 50 of the refrigerator 10, and FIG. 4 is a back view showing a machine room portion. 5 is a perspective view of the refrigerator 10, FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part of the refrigerator 10, and FIG.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the refrigerator 10 is filled with a foam heat insulating material 16 between the outer box 12 and the inner box 14 to form a heat insulating box body 17, and the interior of the storage room is insulated by a heat insulating partition wall 18. It is divided into an upper refrigerator compartment 20 and a lower frozen space 40.

  The inside of the refrigerator compartment 20 is further divided into three spaces up and down by a ceiling partition plate 21 and a partition plate 22 that also serve as a mounting shelf, and the upper space is a refrigerated storage space 24 provided with a plurality of mounting shelves 23. The middle space is a vegetable storage space 26 in which a drawer-type vegetable container 25 is arranged, and the lower space is a low-temperature storage space 28 in which a low-temperature container 27 whose interior is cooled to about −3 to 0 ° C. is arranged.

  The front opening of the refrigerator compartment 20 is closed in a double door manner by left and right refrigerator compartment doors 20a, 20a rotatably attached to hinges 29, 29 provided in the heat insulation box 17.

  In the freezing space 40 provided in the lower part of the refrigerator compartment 20, an ice making chamber 42 equipped with an automatic ice making device and a temperature switching chamber 44 capable of switching and setting the room temperature are placed right and left just below the heat insulating partition wall 18. A freezing chamber 46 is provided below the ice making chamber 42 and the temperature switching chamber 44. The ice making chamber 42, the temperature switching chamber 44, and the freezing chamber 46 are closed at the front opening by drawer-type doors 42 a, 44 a, 46 a through which the storage containers arranged inside are pulled out in conjunction with the opening operation. ing.

  A door switch 47 for detecting the open / closed state of each door is provided on each of the doors 20a, 42a, 44a, and 46a that close the storage chambers.

  Then, on the back surfaces of the refrigerating room 20 and the refrigerating space 40, a refrigerating cooler 52 and a refrigerating cooler 53, and a refrigerating fan 54 and a refrigerating fan 55 corresponding to each cooler, respectively, are disposed. The cool air generated by the coolers 52 and 53 is introduced into the respective storage chambers via the ducts by the fans 54 and 55 and cooled. Further, a defrost heater 30 made of a pipe heater, a glass tube heater or the like is provided below the refrigeration cooler 53.

  The duct 32 for sending cool air on the back of the refrigerator compartment 20 is provided with a refrigerator temperature sensor 34 for measuring the internal temperature of the refrigerator compartment 20. A freezer temperature sensor 48 for measuring the internal temperature of 46 is provided. In addition, a defrost sensor 49 for detecting the temperature of the cooler 53 and detecting the end timing of the defrost is provided above the freezer cooler 53. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, an outside temperature sensor 68 for detecting the outside temperature is provided inside the handle.

  The refrigeration cooler 52 and the refrigeration cooler 53 are alternately supplied with refrigerant discharged from a variable capacity compressor 56 by frequency conversion by an inverter provided in the lower part of the refrigerator 10 by a refrigeration cycle 50 as shown in FIG. Guided and cooled.

  In the refrigeration cycle 50, a condenser 58 is connected to the discharge side of the compressor 56, and a three-way valve 60 is connected to the condenser 58. A refrigeration cooler 52 is connected to one of the refrigerant flow paths divided from the three-way valve 60 via a refrigeration capillary tube 62, and a refrigeration cooler 53 is connected to the other refrigerant flow path via a refrigeration capillary tube 64. Is switched, and the refrigerant liquefied by the condenser 58 is diverted to the refrigeration cooler 52 side and the refrigeration cooler 53 side by switching the three-way valve 62, and to both the coolers 52 and 53. The refrigerant supply is cut off. Further, the coolers 52 and 53 and the suction side of the compressor 56 are connected, and the refrigerant flowing through the coolers 52 and 53 is again taken into the compressor 56 and circulates through the refrigeration cycle 50.

  Note that the refrigeration cycle used in the refrigerator 10 is not limited to that shown in FIG. Various refrigeration cycles such as a so-called semi-parallel type in which the refrigerant that is divided into the refrigeration cooler and the refrigeration cooler and flows through the refrigeration cooler joins to the inlet of the refrigeration cooler can be used.

  The compressor 56 is installed in a machine room 70 formed at the lower back of the refrigerator 10 as shown in FIG. 4, and is attached to a compressor base 71 provided across the width direction of the refrigerator body via a cushion body. Yes.

  The machine room 70 has a stepped portion 72 protruding toward the freezer compartment 46 at the lower back of the main body, and the stepped portion 72 forms a space having a predetermined depth and height dimension extending in the width direction. The compressor 56 is installed close to one side in the width direction of the machine room 70, and the heat radiation fan 73 that introduces outside air into the machine room 70 using the other side in the width direction as a heat radiating duct, the condenser 58, and defrost water is evaporated. An evaporating dish 74 is installed.

  The heat dissipating fan 73 is formed with a slight gap between the stepped portion 72, the peripheral edge thereof is disposed on the upper and lower surfaces of the machine chamber 70, and the left and right portions are in contact with the stepped portion 72. Are arranged so that the axial flow is in the longitudinal direction of the machine room 70.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the compressor base 71 in front of the lower end of the fan casing 75 to which the heat radiating fan 73 is attached is provided with an outside air suction port 76 having a plurality of openings over the width of the fan casing 75. Yes. A condenser 58 is arranged behind the heat radiating fan 73. The condenser 58 has its lower end opposed to the heat radiating fan 73, and the upper part extends upward from the machine room 70 and is formed on the outer box rear plate 12a. It is erected along the recess 77.

  The back surface of the machine room 70 is covered with a cover body 78, and the cover body 78 has such a shape that the air blown from the heat radiating fan 73 flows toward the central direction of the refrigerator 10 main body width. An air outlet (not shown) is formed behind the compressor 56. Further, the cover body 78 extends so as to cover the upper end portion of the condenser 58, and an air outlet 79 connected to a duct formed between the cover body 78 and the concave portion 77 is formed.

  A part of the air blown into the machine room 70 by the heat radiating fan 73 and sent backward is collided with the cover body 78 to be diverted toward the center of the main body width, and is cooled by exchanging heat with the compressor 56. After that, the air flows out from the air outlet formed in the cover body 78 behind the compressor 56.

  A part of the air blown into the machine chamber 70 is divided upward and flows into a duct formed by the recess 77 and the cover body 78 as shown by an arrow in FIG. Then, it is cooled and flows out from the air outlet 79 above the cover body 78.

Further, in the recess 77, a control unit 66 made of a printed circuit board on which a power supply circuit, an inverter switching circuit, a motor control circuit, a rectification circuit, etc. are mounted above the compressor 56 adjacent to the condenser 58. Is arranged. As shown in FIG. 6, the controller 66 includes a defrost heater 30, a refrigerator temperature sensor 34, a door switch 47, a freezer temperature sensor 48, a defrost sensor 49, a refrigerator fan 54, and a freezer compartment. The fan 55, the motor of the compressor 56, and the outside temperature sensor 68 are connected and their operation is controlled, and the number of times of opening and closing the freezer compartment door 46a and the opening time are integrated, the operating condition of the motor of the compressor 56, the refrigerator measuring the ambient temperature T _a of 10 is installed to store them. The control unit 66, is connected to the refrigerator outside temperature sensor 68 is adapted to store measuring the ambient temperature T _a refrigerator 10 is installed.

  Next, the control method of the heat radiating fan 73 of the refrigerator 10 having the above-described configuration will be described based on the flowchart shown in FIG.

  First, in step S1, it is determined whether or not the compressor 56 is rotationally driven and the refrigeration cycle 50 is operating. If the compressor 56 is not operating, it is not necessary to cool the compressor 56 and the condenser 58. In S2, the heat radiating fan 73 is stopped. If the heat radiating fan 73 is already stopped, the control is finished while the heat radiating fan 73 is stopped. If the compressor 56 is operating, the process proceeds to step S3.

In step S3, it is determined whether or not the ambient temperature Ta at the installation location of the refrigerator 10 detected by the outside temperature sensor 68 is lower than _a first predetermined temperature (for example, 20 ° C.). The process proceeds to step S4, and if lower than the first predetermined temperature, the process proceeds to step S5.

  In step S4, the room temperature outside the refrigerator is high, and the condensation temperature of the refrigerant is lowered to improve the cooling efficiency. In order to improve the cooling efficiency, the heat radiating fan 73 is rotated at a predetermined rotational speed according to the rotational speed of the compressor 56. The vessel 58 is cooled and the process returns to step S1.

In step S5, it is determined whether or not the ambient temperature Ta detected by the outside temperature sensor 68 is higher than _a second predetermined temperature (for example, 10 ° C.). 2 If the temperature is higher than the predetermined temperature, the process proceeds to step S7.

  In step S6, since the room temperature outside the refrigerator is low, the compressor 56 and the condenser 58 can be appropriately cooled even by natural cooling without driving the blower fan 73. When the blower fan 73 is driven, the compressor 56 and the like are cooled. Since it is excessively cooled and noise is generated unnecessarily, there is a high possibility that a refrigerant stagnation phenomenon will occur. Therefore, the radiating fan 73 is stopped, and if the radiating fan 73 is already stopped, it remains stopped. Return to step S1.

  In step S7, in a case where the temperature is lower than the first predetermined temperature and higher than the second predetermined temperature, that is, the so-called medium room temperature, if the internal temperature is stable at the set temperature, rotating the heat radiating fan 73 causes excessive cooling. Since unnecessary noise is generated, the first control mode for stopping the heat dissipation fan 73 is executed here, and the process proceeds to step S8.

  In step S8, it is determined whether or not the defrost heater 30 has been energized by turning on the power to the refrigerator 1 and defrosting of the refrigeration cooler 55 has been performed. If the defrosting is not executed, the first control mode is continued and the process returns to step S1. If the defrosting has been executed even once after the refrigerator 1 is turned on, the process proceeds to step S9.

  In step S9, it is determined whether or not any storage room door has been opened or closed after the compressor 56 is driven. If the storage room door is opened or closed, outside air flows into the refrigerator or new storage items are stored. Therefore, if the refrigeration cycle 50 is in a high load state, the process proceeds to step S10. If the storage chamber door is not opened or closed, the first control mode is continued and the process returns to step S1. That is, in the present embodiment, the door switch 47 detects the high load state of the refrigeration cycle 50 by detecting the opening / closing of the storage compartment door.

  In step S10, since the room temperature outside the refrigerator is lower than the first predetermined temperature, it is not necessary to rotate the radiating fan 73 when the internal temperature is stable. However, in the case of a high load state as determined in step S9. Since cooling is insufficient and it is better to give priority to the cooling efficiency than to stop the radiating fan 73, the radiating fan 73 is driven to rotate, the compressor 56 and the condenser 58 are cooled, and the process proceeds to step S11. The control mode is executed for a predetermined time t1. At that time, the rotational speed of the heat dissipation fan 73 is preferably such that the heat dissipation fan 73 is rotated at a low speed when the outside temperature sensor 68 detects the first predetermined temperature or higher.

  Then, after the second control mode is executed for a predetermined time t1, the blower fan 73 is stopped in step S12 to shift from the second control mode to the first control mode, and then the process returns to step S1. The predetermined time t1 may be changed according to the operation state of the refrigeration cycle 50. For example, until the compressor 56 stops or the refrigerant is allowed to flow through the refrigeration cooler 52, the refrigeration chamber 20 is cooled. The time until the refrigeration mode and the refrigeration mode in which the refrigerant flows through the refrigeration cooler 53 and cools the refrigeration space 40 is performed a predetermined number of times may be set as the predetermined time t1.

As described above, in the present embodiment, since the ambient temperature T _a refrigerator installation site to control the rotation of the cooling fan 73 according to the load condition of the refrigeration cycle in the case lower than the first predetermined temperature, the refrigeration cycle 50 In a high load state, a second control mode for rotating the radiating fan 73 is executed to lower the refrigerant condensing temperature to improve the cooling efficiency. In a low load or no load state of the refrigeration cycle 50, the second radiating fan 73 is stopped. By executing one control mode, unnecessary rotation of the heat dissipation fan can be prevented, and loss of power consumption and increase in noise can be suppressed. Moreover, the ambient temperature T _a refrigerator installation site is lower than the second predetermined temperature, regardless of the load condition of the refrigerating cycle, it is possible to suppress the increase in power consumption of the loss and noise by a cooling fan 73 is stopped it can.

  In addition, immediately after the refrigerator 10 is turned on, the internal temperature is regarded as not stable, and the second control mode is performed regardless of the load state of the refrigeration cycle 50 until the first defrosting is performed after the refrigerator 10 is turned on. Therefore, the refrigerator 10 can be effectively cooled by prioritizing cooling.

(Modification 1)
Modification 1 of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the element which is the same as that of above-described embodiment, or the overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted.

  In the present embodiment, the door switch 47 detects the high load state of the refrigeration cycle 50 by detecting the opening / closing of the storage room door. However, in the first modification, the temperature sensor 34 for the refrigerator compartment and the temperature sensor for the freezer compartment are used. The present embodiment is different from the above-described embodiment in that the high load state of the refrigeration cycle 50 is detected by the temperature in the refrigerator detected by 48.

That is, in the modified example 1, in step 9 of FIG. 8, when the deviation of the refrigerator temperature with respect to the set temperature is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, that is, the refrigerator temperature detected by the refrigerator temperature sensor 34 and the refrigerator 20 When the temperature difference ΔT _R with the set temperature is larger than a predetermined value (for example, 5 ° C.), or the temperature difference ΔT between the temperature of the freezer compartment 46 detected by the freezer temperature sensor 48 and the set temperature of the refrigerator compartment 20. _{When F} is larger than a predetermined value (for example, 5 ° C.), the high load state of the refrigeration cycle 50 is detected.

In the first modification example, the second control mode in which the heat dissipation fan 73 is rotationally driven until both the temperature differences ΔT _R and ΔT _F are within a predetermined value is executed (step S11), and both the temperature differences ΔT _R and ΔT _F are performed. Is within the predetermined value, the blower fan 73 is stopped and the process proceeds to the first control mode (step S12).

  Even in the case of this first modification, it is possible to detect a high load state of the refrigeration cycle 50 with a simple configuration.

(Modification 2)
A modification of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the element which is the same as that of above-described embodiment, or the overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted.

In the present embodiment described above, the door switch 47 detects the high load state of the refrigeration cycle 50 by detecting the opening and closing of the storage compartment door. In the second modification, the refrigeration cycle 50 is determined by the rotational speed _Nc of the compressor 56. The present embodiment is different from the above-described embodiment in that a high load state is detected.

That is, in the modified example 2, in step 9 of FIG. 9, when the rotational speed _Nc of the compressor 56 is larger than the predetermined rotational speed _NH , the high load state of the refrigeration cycle 50 is detected (step S9), and the heat radiating fan. The second control mode for rotationally driving 73 is continuously executed (steps S10 and S11), and when the rotational speed _Nc of the compressor 56 becomes equal to or lower than the predetermined rotational speed _NH , the blower fan 73 is stopped to perform the first control. The mode is changed (step S12).

  Even in the case of this second modification, the high load state of the refrigeration cycle 50 can be detected with a simple configuration.

In the second modification, when the accumulated time in the high rotation state where the rotation speed _Nc of the compressor 56 is greater than the predetermined rotation speed exceeds a predetermined time, it is determined that the refrigeration cycle 50 is in a high load state. Anyway.

(Modification 3)
A modification of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the element which is the same as that of above-described embodiment, or the overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted.

  The refrigerator 10 performs defrosting every predetermined cycle (for example, the cumulative operation time of the compressor 56 reaches 10 hours), but since the internal temperature is relatively high after the defrosting, If the predetermined time has not elapsed, or if the number of executions of the refrigeration mode and the refrigeration mode or the predetermined number of times has not been reached, the refrigeration cycle 50 is considered to be in a high load state (step S9). When the second control mode for rotational driving is continuously executed (steps S10 and S11) and a predetermined time elapses after the defrosting is completed, or when the refrigeration mode and the freezing mode are executed a predetermined number of times, the inside temperature is stabilized. And shift to the first control mode (step S12). Also in the third modification, the radiating fan 73 is rotated when the room temperature is higher than the first predetermined temperature (step S4), and the radiating fan 73 is stopped when the room temperature is lower than the second predetermined temperature (step S6). .

  Even in the case of this third modification, the high load state of the refrigeration cycle 50 can be detected with a simple configuration.

It is an appearance perspective view of a refrigerator concerning one embodiment of the present invention. It is a longitudinal section of the refrigerator concerning one embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the refrigerating cycle of the refrigerator which concerns on 1 embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view from the refrigerator back part which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a principal part expanded sectional view of the refrigerator which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the electric constitution of the refrigerator which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the control method of the thermal radiation fan of the refrigerator which concerns on 1 embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the control method of the thermal radiation fan of the refrigerator which concerns on the modification 1 of 1 embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the control method of the thermal radiation fan of the refrigerator which concerns on the modification 2 of 1 embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the control method of the thermal radiation fan of the refrigerator which concerns on the modification 3 of 1 embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Refrigerator 20 ... Refrigeration room 46 ... Freezing room 47 ... Door switch 48 ... Freezing room temperature sensor 50 ... Freezing cycle 56 ... Compressor 58 ... Condenser 66 ... Control part 68 ... Outside temperature sensor 70 ... Machine room 73 ... Heat dissipation fan

Claims (8)

In a refrigerator comprising a refrigeration cycle and a heat dissipating fan that cools a compressor included in the refrigeration cycle,
An outside temperature sensor for detecting room temperature;
Load detecting means for detecting the load of the refrigeration cycle;
When the outside temperature sensor detects a temperature equal to or lower than a first predetermined temperature, a first control mode for stopping the heat radiating fan is executed, and the load detecting means detects a high load state of the refrigeration cycle during the execution of the first control mode. Then, a control means for shifting to the second control mode for rotating the heat dissipation fan,
The said control means prohibits execution of said 2nd control mode from power-on until it defrosts a refrigerator. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the control unit shifts to the first control mode when the second control mode is executed for a predetermined time. When the outside temperature sensor detects a second predetermined temperature or lower set to a temperature lower than the first predetermined temperature, the second detection mode is entered even if the load detection means detects a high load state of the refrigeration cycle. The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the first control mode is executed. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the load detection means is a door open / close detection means for detecting a high load state of the refrigeration cycle by opening / closing a refrigerator door. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the load detection means is an internal temperature sensor that detects a high load state of the refrigeration cycle based on an internal temperature of the refrigerator. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the load detection means detects a high load state of the refrigeration cycle based on a rotation speed of the compressor. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the load detection unit detects a high load state by performing defrosting. The control means executes a third control mode for rotating the heat radiating fan at a higher speed than the second control mode when the outside temperature sensor detects a temperature higher than the first predetermined temperature. the refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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