KR100229145B1 - A method for controlling the interior temperature of a refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

According to the present invention, when the compressor 34 is not driven, the outdoor temperature judging step S16 of determining whether the outside air temperature around the refrigerator detected by the outside air temperature sensor 33 is lower than the predetermined constant temperature T1, and As a result of the determination of the outside temperature determining step (S16), if the outside temperature is lower than the predetermined temperature (T1), the inside temperature of the refrigerating compartment is lower than or equal to the lower limit temperature (T2) of the refrigerating compartment to prevent damage to the stored food due to overcooling of the refrigerator compartment. The refrigerator compartment fan 36 is stopped at the time of lowering the furnace, and the refrigerator compartment defrost heater 38 is driven while the refrigerator compartment defrost heater 38 is raised when the internal temperature of the refrigerator compartment rises above the reference temperature T4 of the refrigerator compartment. At the same time, the refrigeration chamber fan 36 is driven to raise the internal temperature of the refrigerating compartment to the upper limit temperature T3 of the refrigerating compartment, and the heat supply stages S17-S22 and the heat supply stage S17-S22 provide the internal compartment of the refrigerator compartment. Chilled temperature If the upper limit temperature (T3) of the room or more comprises a heat supply stop step (S23) for stopping the heat supply to the refrigerating chamber by stopping the operation of the refrigerator compartment defrost heater and the refrigerating chamber fan.

Therefore, in the present invention, since the high internal temperature of the refrigerating compartment is maintained between the lower limit and the upper limit temperature, it is possible to prevent the overcooling of the refrigerating compartment, whereby the food stored in the refrigerating compartment can be kept fresh at all times.

Description

How to control the temperature in the refrigerator

The present invention relates to a method for controlling the internal temperature of a refrigerator. In particular, when the internal temperature of the refrigerating compartment is lowered to the lower limit temperature when the outside temperature is low without the compressor being driven, the refrigerator operates a refrigerator in a refrigerator compartment and the internal temperature of the refrigerating compartment rises to a reference temperature. The present invention relates to a method for controlling the inside temperature of a refrigerator in which the inside temperature of the refrigerator compartment can be maintained between the lower limit temperature and the upper limit temperature by driving the refrigerator compartment fan.

In general, a refrigerator includes a single evaporator and a blower fan to supply cold air to the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment in common to cool the inside of the refrigerator, and a plurality of evaporators and blower fans to supply the cold air to the freezer compartment and the refrigerator compartment separately. There is a method of cooling each inside of the refrigerator independently.

As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional refrigerator 10 for the independent cooling method includes a refrigerator main body 11 and a lower freezer compartment 12 partitioned so that cold air mixing does not occur within the main body 11. An upper refrigerating chamber 13 is formed. The freezing chamber 12 and the refrigerating chamber 13 are partitioned by the intermediate partition 14 and opened and closed by respective doors 15 and 16. In addition, a first cooler 17 and a refrigerating chamber fan 18 are installed on the rear wall of the refrigerating chamber 13, and a second cooler 19 and a freezing chamber fan 20 are installed on the rear wall of the freezing chamber 12. The compressor 21 is installed below the refrigerator main body 11.

In the conventional independent cooling type refrigerator configured as described above, the temperature of the freezing chamber 12 is controlled as shown in FIG. 2A. That is, when the temperature of the freezer compartment 12 is higher than the reference temperature, the compressor 21 and the freezer compartment fan 20 are turned on as shown in FIGS. 2B and 2C to lower the temperature of the freezer compartment 12. In addition, when the temperature of the freezing compartment 12 is lower than the reference temperature, the compressor 21 and the freezing compartment fan 20 are turned off as shown in FIGS. 2B and 2C, so that the temperature of the freezing compartment 12 is no longer lowered.

However, in the independent refrigerator type refrigerator as described above, when the outside air temperature around the refrigerator is low, the refrigerator compartment 13 is a refrigerator according to the thickness and width of the intermediate partition 14 separating the freezer compartment 12 and the refrigerator compartment 13. More calories are taken into the freezer compartment 12 than calories taken out from the outside.

C∼5

C까지 낮은 상태로 유지된다. 이와 같이 냉장고의 주변온도가 낮으면 냉장실(13)의 고내는 과냉상태가 되어, 수납된 식품에 손상되는 문제가 발생된다.Accordingly, the internal temperature of the refrigerating chamber 13 maintains a very low internal temperature than the temperature to be actually controlled. Further, even when the refrigerating compartment fan 18 is continuously turned off as shown in FIG. 3A, the temperature of the refrigerating compartment 13 is 0 than the reference temperature as shown in FIG. 3B.

C-5

It remains low until C. As such, when the ambient temperature of the refrigerator is low, the interior of the refrigerator compartment 13 becomes a supercooled state, which causes a problem of damage to the food stored therein.

In order to prevent the subcooling of the refrigerating compartment 13 as described above, thickening the middle partition wall 14 separating the freezer compartment 12 and the refrigerating compartment 13 reduces the actual contents of the freezer compartment 12 and the refrigerating compartment 13 to reduce the efficiency of the refrigerator. Will fall. In addition, even if the reference temperature of the refrigerating chamber 13 is lowered, it is not possible to prevent the occurrence of such subcooling.

An object of the present invention is to drive a refrigerator in the refrigerator compartment when the internal temperature of the refrigerator compartment falls below the lower limit temperature when the outside temperature is low without the compressor running, and to drive the refrigerator compartment fan when the internal temperature of the refrigerator compartment rises above the reference temperature. The present invention provides a method for controlling the internal temperature of a refrigerator to prevent overcooling of a refrigerating chamber by maintaining the internal temperature between a lower limit temperature and an upper limit temperature.

1 is a side cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a refrigerator having two conventional coolers;

Figure 2a is a graph showing the temperature change during the freezing of Figure 1,

2b is a graph showing the on / off time of the compressor of FIG.

Figure 2c is a graph showing the on / off time of the freezer compartment fan of Figure 1,

Figure 3a is a graph of the driving state of the refrigerator compartment fan when the defrost heater is not driven in the conventional refrigerator,

3b is a graph showing the temperature change of the refrigerating chamber when the defrost heater is not driven in the conventional refrigerator,

4 is a block diagram of a refrigerator according to the present invention;

5 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling the internal temperature of a refrigerator in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;

6 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling the internal temperature of a refrigerator in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 7a is a graph showing the on / off time of the compressor in the present invention,

Figure 7b is a graph showing the on / off time of the refrigerator compartment fan in the present invention,

Figure 7c is a graph showing the on / off time of the defrost heater in the present invention,

7d is a graph showing a temperature change of the refrigerating compartment according to the present invention.

* Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings

30 control unit 31 freezer sensor

32: refrigerator compartment sensor 33: outside temperature sensor

34 compressor 35 freezer compartment fan

36: refrigerator compartment fan 38: refrigerator compartment upper heater

An object of the present invention as described above is provided with a freezer compartment and a refrigerating compartment to be cooled independently of each other, driving the refrigerator compartment fan according to the internal temperature of the refrigerator compartment detected by the refrigerator compartment sensor when the compressor is driven in the refrigerator compartment to cool the refrigerator compartment A temperature control method comprising: an outdoor temperature judging step of determining whether an outside air temperature around a refrigerator detected by an outside air temperature sensor when the compressor is stopped is lower than a predetermined predetermined temperature (T1); If the outside air temperature is lower than the predetermined temperature (T1) as a result of the determination of the outside temperature judging step, when the inside temperature of the refrigerator compartment falls below the lower limit temperature (T2) of the refrigerator compartment to prevent damage to the food stored by overcooling of the refrigerator compartment. At the same time, the refrigerator compartment fan is stopped and at the same time, the refrigerator compartment defrost heater is driven, and when the inside temperature of the refrigerator compartment rises above the reference temperature T4 of the refrigerator compartment, the refrigerator compartment defrost heater is stopped and at the same time, the refrigerator compartment fan is driven to operate the refrigerator compartment fan. A heat supply step of raising the internal temperature of the refrigerator to an upper limit temperature T3 of the refrigerating chamber; And a heat supply interruption step of stopping the heat supply to the refrigerating compartment by stopping the driving of the heater and the refrigerating compartment fan when the internal temperature of the refrigerating compartment is higher than the upper limit temperature T3 of the refrigerating compartment by the heat supply step.

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

4 is a block diagram of a refrigerator applied to the present invention. As shown, the independent cooling refrigerator applied to the present invention includes a control unit 30 for controlling the overall operation of the refrigerator, a freezer sensor 31 for sensing the temperature of the freezer compartment and applying it to the control unit 30, A refrigerator compartment sensor 32 that senses a temperature of a refrigerator compartment and applies it to the controller 30, an outside temperature sensor 33 that senses an ambient temperature of a refrigerator and applies it to the controller 30, and the freezer compartment sensor 31. The compressor 34 and the freezing compartment fan 35 driven by the control unit 30 according to the freezer compartment temperature detected by the control unit 30, the compressor 34 and the freezing compartment fan 35 driven by the control unit 30, and the And a refrigerator compartment fan 36 driven by the controller 30, a freezer compartment heater 37 and a refrigerator compartment heater 38 driven by the controller 30.

In the refrigerator internal temperature control method according to the first embodiment of the present invention performed in the refrigerator configured as described above, as shown in FIG. 5, when the compressor 34 is driven, the internal temperature of the refrigerator compartment is sensed and sensed. Cooling step (S10-S15) for cooling the refrigerating compartment by driving the refrigerating compartment fan 36 according to the high temperature inside the high temperature, and the outside air temperature around the refrigerator detected by the outside temperature sensor 33 when the compressor 34 is not driven The outside air temperature determination step (S16) of determining whether the degree is lower than the predetermined predetermined temperature (T1), and if the outside temperature is lower than the predetermined temperature (T1) as a result of the determination of the outside temperature determination step (S16) to the supercooling of the refrigerating compartment In order to prevent damage to the stored foods caused by the refrigerator, when the internal temperature of the refrigerator compartment falls below the lower limit temperature T2 of the refrigerator compartment, the refrigerator compartment fan 36 is stopped and the refrigerator compartment defrost heater 38 is driven. Cold storage When the internal temperature rises above the reference temperature (T4) of the refrigerating chamber, the refrigeration chamber defrost heater 38 is driven and the refrigerating chamber fan 36 is driven to raise the internal temperature of the refrigerating compartment to the upper limit temperature (T3) of the refrigerating compartment. (S17-S22) and if the internal temperature of the refrigerating compartment is higher than the upper limit temperature (T3) of the refrigerating compartment by the heat supply step (S17-S22), stop the operation of the refrigerator compartment upper heater and the refrigerating compartment fan to supply heat to the refrigerating compartment. The heat supply stop step (S23) to stop.

The cooling step (S10-S15) is a general refrigerating chamber temperature control process, the step of determining whether the compressor 34 is driven (S10), the step of determining whether the refrigerating chamber fan 36 is driven (S11), and the refrigerating chamber Step (S12) of determining whether the high temperature in the refrigerator is above the upper limit temperature (T3) of the refrigerating chamber, and driving the refrigerating chamber fan 36 to supply cold air to the refrigerating chamber (S13), and the high temperature inside the refrigerating chamber is the lower limit temperature ( T2) and determining (S14) or less, and the step (S15) for stopping the drive of the refrigerating chamber fan (36).

The heat supply step (S17-S22) is a step of determining whether the heat supply step (S17-S22) is performed for the first time after the compressor 34 is stopped (S17), and the internal temperature of the refrigerator compartment is the lower limit temperature of the refrigerator compartment ( T2) a step (S18) of determining whether or not.

In addition, the heat supply step (S17-S22) is a step of stopping the operation of the refrigerating chamber fan 36 and driving the refrigerator compartment defrost heater 38 when the internal temperature of the refrigerating chamber is lower than the lower limit temperature (T2) of the refrigerating chamber (S19). ), Determining whether the refrigerator compartment temperature is higher than the upper limit temperature (T3) (S20), determining whether the refrigerator compartment internal temperature is equal to or higher than the reference temperature T4 of the refrigerator compartment (S21), and the refrigerator internal temperature is the refrigerator compartment And driving the refrigerating chamber fan 36 when the temperature rises above the reference temperature T4, and stops driving of the refrigerating chamber defrost heater 38 (S22).

The high temperature control method of the refrigerator according to the present invention configured as described above will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In FIG. 5, when the compressor 34 is in operation, a cooling step (S10-S15) is performed. When the internal temperature of the refrigerator compartment detected by the refrigerator compartment sensor 32 rises above the upper limit temperature T3, the refrigerator compartment fan ( 36) and stops the operation of the refrigerator compartment fan 36 when the internal temperature of the refrigerator compartment falls below the lower limit temperature T2, that is, the refrigerator compartment fan 36 is driven to cool the refrigerator compartment according to the internal compartment temperature of the refrigerator compartment. .

On the other hand, when the compressor 34 is not driven as shown in Figure 7a, in the external temperature determination step (S16), the control unit 30 is the outside air temperature around the refrigerator detected by the outside air temperature sensor 33 is a constant temperature (T1). It judges whether it is below.

As a result of the determination in step S16, when the outside air temperature around the refrigerator is equal to or lower than a predetermined temperature T1, the control unit 30 determines that the internal temperature of the refrigerator compartment detected by the refrigerator compartment sensor 32 is the lower limit temperature of the refrigerator compartment temperature in step S18. (T2) It determines whether it is below.

As a result of the determination in step S18, when the internal temperature of the refrigerating compartment is lowered below the lower limit temperature T2, as shown in FIGS. 7B and 7C, in step S19, the control unit 30 drives the refrigerating chamber heater 38 and refrigerating chamber fan ( 35) should not be driven.

As a result, heater heat is generated in response to the operation of the refrigerator compartment defrost heater 38, so that the internal temperature of the refrigerator compartment gradually increases.

In step S20, the controller 30 determines whether the internal temperature of the refrigerating compartment is raised to the upper limit temperature T3 by the operation of the refrigerator cell defrost heater 38. As a result of the determination in step S20, if the inside temperature of the refrigerator compartment is lower than the upper limit temperature T3, in step S21, the controller 30 determines whether the inside temperature of the refrigerator compartment is higher than or equal to the reference temperature T4 of the refrigerator compartment.

If the internal temperature of the refrigerating compartment is higher than or equal to the reference temperature T4, the controller 30 drives the refrigerating compartment fan 36 and the refrigerating compartment defrost heater 37 is not driven in step S22.

On the other hand, if the internal temperature of the refrigerator compartment is raised to the upper limit temperature (T3) as a result of the determination in step (S20), in step S23, the control unit 30 stops the refrigerating chamber fan 36 and the refrigerating chamber phase to stop the heat supply to the refrigerating compartment. The heater 38 is not driven.

In addition, when the determination result in the step (S21), if the internal temperature of the refrigerator compartment is lower than the reference temperature (T4) of the refrigerator compartment, it is returned to the beginning of the heat supply step (S17-S22) so that the internal temperature of the refrigerator compartment is the reference temperature (T4) of the refrigerator compartment. The heater 38 is continuously driven until the heater is reached.

Accordingly, the internal temperature of the refrigerating compartment is controlled higher than in the prior art as shown in FIG. 7B, so that the refrigerating compartment is prevented from being overcooled as it is maintained between the lower limit temperature T2 of the refrigerating compartment and the upper limit temperature T3 of the refrigerating compartment.

Meanwhile, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 6. When the compressor 34 is driven, a cooling step (S30-S35) of sensing the inside temperature of the refrigerating compartment and driving the refrigerating compartment fan 36 to cool the refrigerating compartment according to the detected inside temperature is not driven, and the compressor 34 is not driven. If not, the determination of the outside temperature determination step (S36) and the outside temperature determination step (S36) for determining whether the outside air temperature around the refrigerator detected by the outside temperature sensor 33 is lower than the predetermined predetermined temperature (T1). As a result, when the outside air temperature is lower than the predetermined temperature T1, the refrigerator compartment fan 36 is opened when the internal temperature of the refrigerator compartment falls below the lower limit temperature T2 of the refrigerator compartment to prevent damage to the stored food due to overcooling of the refrigerator compartment. Simultaneously with the operation of the refrigerator compartment defrost heater 38, the refrigerator compartment defrost heater 38 is stopped when the internal temperature of the refrigerator compartment rises above the reference temperature T4 of the refrigerating compartment and the refrigerator compartment fan 36. Of the fridge It consists of a heat supply step (S37-S41) to increase the internal temperature.

Since the cooling steps S30 to S35 are configured in the same manner as in the first embodiment, the cooling steps S30 to S35 are omitted to avoid redundant description.

The heat supply step (S37-S41) is a step of determining whether the heat supply step (S37-S41) is performed for the first time after the compressor 34 is stopped (S37), and the internal temperature of the refrigerator compartment is the lower limit temperature of the refrigerator compartment ( T2) a step S38 is determined.

In addition, the heat supply step (S37-S41) is a step of stopping the operation of the refrigerating compartment fan 36 and driving the refrigerating compartment defrost heater 38 when the internal temperature of the refrigerating compartment lowers below the lower limit temperature (T2) of the refrigerating compartment (S39). ), And determining whether the inside temperature of the refrigerating compartment is higher than the reference temperature T4 of the refrigerating compartment (S40), and driving the refrigerating compartment fan 36 when the inside temperature of the refrigerating compartment rises above the reference temperature T4 of the refrigerating compartment, In step S41, the driving of the refrigerating chamber defrost heater 38 is stopped.

The refrigerating compartment fan 36 once driven in the step S41 is turned on or off in accordance with the internal temperature of the refrigerating compartment sensed by the refrigerating compartment sensor 32 in the cooling steps S30-S35.

As described above, when the compressor 34 is not driven in the refrigerator having the freezing compartment and the refrigerating compartment which are mutually distinguished and independently cooled, the outside air temperature around the refrigerator detected by the outside air temperature sensor 33 is higher than the predetermined temperature T2. If it is low, the amount of heat lost to the freezer compartment is greater than the amount of heat the refrigerator receives from the outside, which causes overcooling of the refrigerator compartment.

Therefore, in the present invention, when the compressor 34 stops driving and the outside air temperature is low, when the internal temperature of the refrigerating compartment sensed by the outside air temperature sensor 33 falls below the lower limit temperature, the refrigerator compartment actual heater 38 is driven to heat the heater. It gradually raises the internal temperature of the refrigerating compartment and stops the operation of the refrigerator's actual heater when the internal temperature of the refrigerating compartment rises above the reference temperature and drives the refrigerating compartment fan to increase the internal temperature of the refrigerating compartment. Therefore, in the present invention, since the high internal temperature of the refrigerating compartment is maintained between the lower limit and the upper limit temperature, it is possible to prevent the overcooling of the refrigerating compartment, whereby the food stored in the refrigerating compartment can be kept fresh at all times.

Claims (1)

In the high temperature control method of the refrigerator having a freezing compartment and a refrigerating compartment which is independently cooled to each other and drives the refrigerator compartment fan according to the inside temperature of the refrigerating compartment sensed by the refrigerating compartment sensor when driving the compressor. An outside air temperature determining step of determining whether the outside air temperature around the refrigerator sensed by the outside air temperature sensor when the compressor is stopped is lower than a predetermined predetermined temperature (T1); As a result of the determination of the outside temperature determination step, when the outside temperature is lower than the predetermined temperature T1, when the inside temperature of the refrigerator compartment falls below the lower limit temperature T2 of the refrigerator compartment to prevent damage to the stored food due to overcooling of the refrigerator compartment. A heat supply step of stopping the refrigerating compartment fan and simultaneously driving the refrigerating compartment defrost heater while raising the internal temperature of the refrigerating compartment to the upper limit temperature (T3) of the refrigerating compartment by driving the refrigerating compartment temperature of the refrigerating compartment; And And a heat supply interruption step of stopping the supply of heat to the refrigerating compartment by stopping the driving of the refrigerating chamber actual heater and the refrigerating compartment fan when the internal temperature of the refrigerating compartment is higher than the upper limit temperature T3 of the refrigerating compartment by the heat supplying step. High temperature control method of the refrigerator.

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