KR100894326B1 - A defrosting method of refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a defrosting operation method of a refrigerator. According to the present invention, depending on the number of opening and closing of the door, the temperature detected by the defrost sensor, it recognizes the degree of frost on the evaporator. The defrost cycle is variably controlled according to the degree of freezing formed on the evaporator, and at the same time, the defrost return temperature is variably controlled. Accordingly, the defrosting operation can minimize the backflow of the moisture on the evaporator side into the freezer compartment, thereby stably performing the defrosting operation, thereby increasing the defrosting efficiency.

Refrigerator, Defrost operation, Defrost sensor, Door open / close frequency, Defrost cycle

Description

A defrosting method of refrigerator

1 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross section of a typical refrigerator.

Figure 2 is an operation control flow diagram for the defrosting operation of the refrigerator according to the prior art.

3 is an operation control flow chart for the defrosting operation of the refrigerator according to the present invention.

               Description of the main parts of the drawing

1: freezer 2: evaporator

3: defrost heater 4: defrost sensor

1a: Fan 8: cold room

9: machine room 9a: compressor

10: damper

The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and more particularly, to a defrosting operation method of a refrigerator performing defrosting operation by varying the defrosting return temperature according to the door opening and closing frequency and the defrosting temperature.

In the refrigerator, the refrigerant reaches the evaporator via a compressor, a condenser and a capillary tube and evaporates in the evaporator. At this time, the heat in the vicinity of the evaporator is absorbed by the absorption of the vaporization heat according to the evaporation action, the cold air generated by this process is circulated to the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment to cool the inside of the refrigerator.

Some of the cold air deprived of heat from the evaporator is circulated to the freezer compartment, and the other part is circulated in the refrigerator compartment to cool the inside of the refrigerator. On the other hand, the cold air heated during the circulation between the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment is repeated the heat exchange operation to take heat away by going through the evaporator.

At this time, the cold air circulated in the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment is returned to the evaporator in a state containing moisture in the high temperature, and the moisture contained in the cold air adheres to the evaporator surface in the form of frost as it passes through the evaporator at a very low temperature. .

When such a state accumulates, a large amount of frost is formed on the surface of the evaporator, thereby reducing the heat exchange performance of the evaporator. Therefore, a control process for removing frost, ice, etc. generated on the surface of the evaporator by operating a heater mounted near the evaporator every predetermined time is called a defrosting operation.

That is, the refrigerator generates cold air in accordance with the operation of the refrigeration cycle, and the frost is removed in accordance with the operation of the defrost cycle to adjust the smooth heat exchange. In the case of such a refrigerator, a refrigeration cycle is driven for a predetermined time, and then a defrost cycle is driven for defrosting. At this time, the defrost cycle is driven for a predetermined time.

Looking at the defrosting operation method of the refrigerator according to the prior art as follows.

1 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross section of a typical refrigerator.

As shown in FIG. 1, an evaporator 2 is mounted at the rear of the freezer compartment 1, and a defrost heater 3 for dissolving frost attached to the evaporator 2 is installed near the evaporator 2. . An upper side of the evaporator 2 is provided with a defrost sensor 4 for sensing a temperature around the evaporator 2 when the defrost heater 3 is operated. The temperature sensed by the defrost sensor 4 is transmitted to a microcontroller (not shown), and the operation of the defrost heater 3 is stopped when the detected temperature is lower than a predetermined temperature.

In the lower part of the evaporator 2, a drain 5 in which defrost water is collected by the frost formed by the operation of the defrost heater 3 is located, and connected to the drain 5, through a rear of the refrigerating chamber 8, a machine room 9. The drain pipe 6 is formed inside. The defrost water collected in the drain 5 is transferred to the defrost water receiver 7 installed inside the machine room 9 through the drain pipe 6.

2 is an operation control flowchart for the defrosting operation of the refrigerator according to the prior art.

As shown in the figure, the operation state of the driven compressor 9a is determined according to the operation condition selected by the user (step 100). If it is determined that the operation state of the compressor 9a has proceeded to the continuous operation by the step 100 (step 140), the integration time at which the compressor 9a is driven under the continuous operation conditions is measured (step 150).

When the integration time is 4 hours as described above, the defrosting operation is performed after 4 hours so that the defrosting is sufficiently performed, and the defrosting temperature detected by the defrosting sensor 4 is maintained at 5 ° C. (Step 160).

However, if the operation of the compressor 9a determined in step 100 is an intermittent operation state of driving on / off at predetermined time intervals (step 110), the driving integration time of the compressor driven by the intermittent operation is measured (step 120). ).

When the accumulated time according to the operation of the compressor 9a has elapsed as described above, the defrosting operation is performed to maintain the defrosting return temperature of 5 ° C. (step 130).

On the other hand, the degree of adhesion of the refrigerator evaporator 2 to the castle may be changed by various peripheral factors. That is, the amount of frost and the state of implantation of the evaporator 2 vary according to the temperature and humidity around the refrigerator, the type of storage stored in the refrigerator, the number of times of user's involvement and the habit.

However, in the defrosting operation method of the refrigerator according to the prior art, the defrosting return temperature of the present refrigerator is set to the same defrosting return temperature collectively regardless of the degree of implantation of the evaporator 2, the defrosting efficiency is lowered. Therefore, due to the relatively high defrosting return temperature setting, the defrosting heater 3 generates heat during defrosting, and the frost formed by the phase changes into water and falls below the evaporator. At this time, the water is evaporated into the water vapor in contact with the defrost heater (3) to penetrate into the freezer compartment 1 to promote freezing growth of the freezer compartment. As a result, the heat exchange in the freezing chamber is not normally performed, and thus the temperature of the freezing chamber is increased, thereby deteriorating the freshness of the food in the refrigerator.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a defrosting operation method of a refrigerator which controls the operation cycle and the defrosting return temperature of the compressor differently so that the ice formed on the evaporator is removed with optimum efficiency according to the door opening frequency and the temperature detection through the defrost sensor. have.

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Defrosting operation method of the refrigerator according to the present invention for achieving the above object, a refrigerator having a compressor, a defrost heater and a defrost sensor, the refrigerator for controlling the defrost operation through the defrosting operation and the defrost heater and the defrost sensor according to the operation of the compressor. Determining whether the operation state of the compressor is continuously operated; Measuring a freezer compartment evaporator temperature by means of a defrost sensor when the operation state of the compressor is the continuous operation; Counting the number of door openings and closings during the continuous operation; And variable control of the defrost cycle and the defrost return temperature according to the freezer compartment evaporator temperature and the door opening and closing frequency measured by the defrost sensor.

The defrosting operation method of the refrigerator according to the present invention is characterized in that if the door opening / closing frequency exceeds a predetermined number of times, the short-term defrosting operation is performed by adjusting the defrosting cycle and the defrosting return temperature of the compressor downward.

And, the defrosting operation method of the refrigerator according to the present invention, when the freezer compartment evaporator temperature detected by the defrost sensor is a predetermined temperature or more, characterized in that the short-term defrosting operation by performing a downward adjustment of the defrost cycle of the compressor.

In addition, the defrosting operation method of the refrigerator according to the present invention is characterized in that the short-time defrosting operation adjusts the normal defrosting operation time.

Hereinafter, the defrosting operation method of the refrigerator according to the present invention will be described in detail. In addition, with reference to Figure 1 will be described a defrosting operation method of the refrigerator according to the present invention.

3 is an operation control flowchart for the defrosting operation of the refrigerator according to the present invention.

As shown in the figure, the present invention first determines the driving state of the compressor 9a according to the operating condition input by the user (step 200).

During the normal intermittent operation of the refrigerator, the integration time of the compressor 9a is driven while the compressor 9a is driven on / off at predetermined time intervals. When the integration time of the compressor 9a elapses for 7 hours (step 210), the normal defrosting operation is performed such that the defrost return temperature detected by the defrost sensor 4 reaches 5 ° C. (step 220).

On the other hand, when the operation state of the compressor (9a) determined in step 200 is driven in a continuous operation, when the elapsed time that the compressor (9a) continuously operated is 4 hours, through the defrost sensor (4) The temperature is sensed (step 230). The defrosting period is variablely controlled or the defrosting return temperature is variably determined by determining the frost or ice freezing conditions that are formed on the evaporator according to the temperature sensed by the defrost sensor 4.

That is, in the case where the compressor 9a is continuously operated for 4 hours in step 230 and the temperature of the evaporator side detected by the defrost sensor 4 is -5 ° C. or less, the microcontroller receiving the temperature value of the It is determined that the driving state is normal, and the door opening and closing count is detected up to now (step 240). The defrost cycle is variably controlled according to the detected number of door opening and closing, and at the same time, the defrost return temperature is variably controlled.

That is, if the door opening and closing count detected in step 240 is 48 or less, the microcontroller determines that the freezing state formed on the freezer compartment evaporator is an appropriate state. Therefore, the defrosting period is set to 7 hours and the defrosting return temperature is controlled to be driven at 5 ° C., thereby performing the normal defrosting operation (step 250).

On the other hand, when the door opening and closing count detected in step 240 is 48 or more, the microcontroller determines that the freezing state implanted on the freezer compartment evaporator is the ice state. Accordingly, the microcontroller sets the defrost cycle to 4 hours and simultaneously controls the defrosting return temperature to 3 deg. C (step 260).

At this time, the reason for performing the defrosting operation at a temperature lower than 3 ° C lower than the defrosting return temperature of the normal state as described above, the defrosting return temperature 5 of the normal defrost state when the freezing state formed on the evaporator is the ice state When the temperature is set to 0 ° C, the defrosting time is long because the defrosting heater 3 generates heat for a long time until the defrosting return temperature reaches 5 ° C. As a result, heat is released in the refrigerator for an extended defrosting time, and a phenomenon in which the freezing chamber freezing temperature rises. As a result, the frost formed on the evaporator is phase-changed into water, and when contacted with the heater, evaporates into wet steam to infiltrate into the freezer compartment 8 to cause freezing inside the freezer compartment. Therefore, the defrosting return temperature to 3 ℃ defrosting operation, minimizing the defrosting operation time. This minimizes the phenomenon that the wet steam is penetrated into the freezer compartment, it is possible to suppress the freezing phenomenon of the freezer compartment.

On the other hand, if the compressor (9a) in the continuous operation state 4 hours in step 230, and the temperature of the defrost sensor (4) detected from the defrost sensor (4) attached to the evaporator side is -5 ℃ or more, the microcontroller It is determined that the problem of the refrigerator system and the door of the refrigerator is less closed. Accordingly, it is determined that defrosting is impossible due to excessive frost on the freezer compartment evaporator.

Therefore, the microcontroller performs the defrosting operation every 4 hours, and at this time, the defrosting return temperature detected by the defrosting sensor 4 is set to 5 ° C. to drive the defrosting return temperature (step 270). As a result, sufficient defrosting ensures that freezing attached to the evaporator is removed.

As described above, according to the present invention, the defrost cycle for performing the defrosting operation is variably controlled according to the operation state of the compressor 9a, the number of times of opening and closing of the door, and the measured temperature of the defrosting sensor 4, and at the same time, the defrosting operation is performed. In this way, the variable defrost return temperature is controlled differently. This makes it possible to appropriately perform the defrosting operation in accordance with the frozen state implanted in the evaporator, and the defrosting efficiency of the refrigerator reaches its maximum.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is a basic technical idea to control the defrost cycle in accordance with the number of door opening and closing times and the measurement temperature of the defrost sensor 4 and to control the defrost return temperature differently at the same time as the defrost cycle is variable. .

The rights of the present invention are not limited to the embodiments described above, but are defined by the claims, and those skilled in the art can make various modifications and adaptations within the scope of the claims. It is self-evident.

Therefore, the following effects can be expected due to the defrosting operation method of the refrigerator according to the present invention.

The present invention recognizes the degree of frost and ice frost on the evaporator through the door opening and closing frequency and the defrost sensor (4) temperature detection of the refrigerator freezer compartment, it is possible to control the defrost cycle according to the degree of frost or ice implantation have.

Accordingly, as the defrost cycle is controlled in a variable manner, the defrosting efficiency is increased, and the minimum defrosting time is realized in the case of excessive defrosting, thereby minimizing the backflow of moisture on the evaporator side during defrosting.

Claims (5)

delete A refrigerator having a compressor, a defrost heater, and a defrost sensor, and controlling a defrosting operation through a defrosting heater and a defrost heater and a defrost sensor according to driving of the compressor, Determining whether the operation state of the compressor is continuously operated; Measuring a freezer compartment evaporator temperature by means of a defrost sensor when the operation state of the compressor is the continuous operation; Counting the number of door openings and closings during the continuous operation; And variable control of a defrost cycle and a defrost return temperature during the continuous operation according to the freezer compartment evaporator temperature and the number of door opening and closing times measured by the defrost sensor. The method of claim 2, When the door opening and closing frequency exceeds a predetermined number of times, defrosting operation method of the refrigerator characterized in that for performing the short-time defrosting operation by adjusting the defrost cycle and the defrost return temperature of the compressor downward. The method of claim 2, When the freezer compartment evaporator temperature detected by the defrost sensor is a predetermined temperature or more, the defrosting operation method of the refrigerator characterized in that the short-term defrosting operation is performed by adjusting the defrosting cycle of the compressor downward. The method according to claim 3 or 4, The short-time defrosting operation is a defrosting operation method of the refrigerator, characterized in that for controlling the normal defrosting operation time.

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