KR20000010150A - Power source control device for refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A power source control device is provided to reduce power consumption and improve energy efficiency of the refrigerator. CONSTITUTION: The power source control device comprises' the 1st power conversion part(20) to convert commercial AC supplied from the power source input part(10) into a load driving DC; the 2nd power conversion part(30) to generate electric power from the temperature difference realized in a condenser(4-22) or a evaporator(4-26); a control part(40) to output power control signal by the level of the power source generated by the 2nd power conversion part(20); and a power switching part(50) to deliver power selected from the 1st power conversion part(20) and the 2nd power conversion part(30) to the load drive part(60) by the power control signal of the control part(40).

Description

Refrigerator power control device

The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and more particularly to a power supply control apparatus of the refrigerator.

In general, a refrigerator is a device used for long-term storage of fresh food, and includes a main body, a freezer compartment for freezing food, a refrigerating compartment for storing food, and a freezing cycle for cooling the freezer and refrigerating compartment. It is composed.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings as follows.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a power control apparatus for a refrigerator according to the prior art, and FIG. 2 is a view showing a refrigeration cycle of the refrigerator according to the prior art.

As shown in FIG. 1, the power control apparatus for a refrigerator according to the related art converts a commercial power supply unit 1 to which commercial power is applied and a commercial power supply having a high voltage applied from the power source input unit 1 into a low voltage DC power source. A power conversion unit 2, a control unit 3 for receiving a DC power output from the power conversion unit 2 and outputting a control signal, and an output power and control unit 3 of the power conversion unit 2; It consists of a load driver 4 driven by a control signal of.

The load driver 4 is a kind of device that is operated by receiving power, for example, a light emitting diode, a fan, a compressor, or the like.

In addition, as shown in Figure 2, the refrigeration cycle is a compressor (11) for compressing the low-temperature / low-pressure gas refrigerant into a high-temperature / high-pressure gas refrigerant, and the high-temperature / high-pressure gas refrigerant to a high / high pressure liquid refrigerant A condenser 12 for condensation, a condensation fan 13 for supplying air outside the refrigerator to the condenser 12, and a capillary tube 14 for expanding the high / high pressure liquid refrigerant into a low / low pressure liquid refrigerant And an evaporator 15 for generating cold air by evaporating the low temperature / low pressure liquid refrigerant into a low temperature / low pressure gas refrigerant, a cooling fan 16 for supplying cold air generated by the evaporator 15 into the refrigerator; It consists of an accumulator 17.

Therefore, when power is supplied to the refrigerator, the compressor compresses the low-temperature / low-pressure gas refrigerant into a high-temperature / high-pressure gas refrigerant according to the control signal of the controller 3, and the compressed high-temperature / high pressure gas refrigerant is the condenser ( 12) is converted into a high temperature / high pressure liquid refrigerant.

The converted high temperature / high pressure liquid refrigerant is converted into a low temperature / low pressure liquid refrigerant whose temperature and pressure are rapidly dropped while passing through the capillary tube 14, and then converted into a low temperature / low pressure gas refrigerant while passing through the evaporator 15.

In addition, the low-temperature / low-pressure liquid refrigerant converted in the capillary tube 14 is converted into a low-temperature / low-pressure gas refrigerant while passing through the evaporator 15 to cause the evaporation action to take the heat of the surroundings to generate cold air, The low-pressure gas refrigerant is returned to the compressor 11 in accordance with the operation of the compressor 11 to operate the refrigeration cycle.

The refrigerator according to the prior art has a high energy consumption because the high temperature heat generated from the condenser is absorbed by the surrounding air, and there is a problem in that energy efficiency is lowered because one power converter must always supply power throughout the control device. .

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, the object of the present invention is to provide a power control device of a refrigerator having low power consumption and high energy efficiency.

1 is a block diagram showing a power control apparatus for a refrigerator according to the prior art.

2 is a view showing a refrigeration cycle of a refrigerator according to the prior art.

3 is a block diagram showing a power control device for a refrigerator according to the present invention;

4 is a view showing a freezing cycle of the refrigerator according to the present invention.

5 illustrates another embodiment according to the present invention.

Explanation of symbols for main parts of the drawings

10: power input unit 20: first power conversion unit

21 compressor 22 condenser

23 condensation fan 25 capillary tube

26: evaporator 27: evaporator fan

28: accumulator 30: second power conversion unit

40: control unit 50: power switch

60: load driving part

According to the present invention, a refrigerator including a condenser, an evaporator, and a load driving unit includes a first power converting unit for converting commercial AC power into a DC power source for load driving, and a second electric power generating power by a temperature difference made in the condenser or the evaporator. A converter, a controller for outputting a power control signal according to the level of power output from the second power converter, and an output of the first power converter and the second power converter according to the power control signal of the controller, It is characterized by including a power switching unit for transmitting to the load driving unit.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings as follows.

3 is a block diagram showing a power control apparatus of a refrigerator according to the present invention, Figure 4 is a view showing a refrigeration cycle according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, the present invention provides a condenser, an evaporator, and a first power converter 20 for converting commercial AC power applied from a power input unit 10 into a DC power source for load driving in a refrigerator having a load driver. The second power converter 30 generates power by a temperature difference made in the condenser (22 in FIG. 4) or the evaporator (26 in FIG. 4) and the power output from the second power converter 30. The controller 40 outputs a power control signal according to the level, and the output of the first power converter 20 and the second power converter 30 is selected according to the power control signal of the controller 40. It is composed of a power switching unit 50 to transfer to the load driving unit (60).

The first power converter 20 converts the commercial AC power input from the outside into a DC power for driving the load, the control unit 40 receives the converted DC power from the first power converter 20 Output the control signal to perform the refrigeration cycle.

In addition, the controller 40 determines the level of the power generated by the second power converter 30, and when the power of the level that the load driver 60 can use during the idle period is generated, the power switch unit ( 50) to output the control signal.

The power switching unit 50 receives a control signal from the control unit 40 and the second power conversion unit 30 in the first power conversion unit 20 during the idle period when the load driver 60 uses a small amount of power. ) To switch the power supply unit of the load driving unit (60).

In addition, when the power for driving the load driver 60 by the output of the second power converter 30 is insufficient, the controller 40 detects this and the load driver by the first power converter 20. Switch the power supply on.

Therefore, the load driving unit 60 is driven by the power of the first power conversion unit 20 or the second power conversion unit 30 selected according to the switching operation of the first and second power switching units 50 and 60. Will be driven.

In this case, as shown in FIG. 4, the second power converter 30 is connected to the condenser 22 to generate power by using a high temperature heat generated by the condenser 22 and a temperature difference between the peripheral parts.

Meanwhile, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the second power converter 30 is connected to the evaporator 26 to generate power by using low temperature heat generated by the evaporator 26 and a temperature difference between the peripheral parts.

The above-described second power converter 30 is composed of a thermoelectric element and uses the Seebeck effect, which is a thermoelectric characteristic.

The Seebeck effect is a phenomenon in which an electromotive force is generated at both ends of a device and current flows when the temperature at both ends is different in a device in which two ends of two different types of conductors or semiconductors are bonded.

Therefore, the thermoelectric element constituting the second power converter 30 is configured such that one end is connected to the condenser 22 or the evaporator 26, and the other end is exposed to the periphery, so that the temperature difference between the condenser 22 and the periphery or The power is generated in the second power converter 30 by the temperature difference between the evaporator 26 and the peripheral part.

In addition to the commercial power applied from the outside, the power control apparatus of the refrigerator according to the present invention can drive the load driving unit by the power generated from the thermoelectric element forming the second power conversion unit, thereby reducing the power consumption compared to the conventional refrigerator. There is.

Claims (3)

In a refrigerator equipped with a condenser, an evaporator and a load driving unit, A first power converter for converting commercial AC power into DC power for load driving; A second power conversion unit generating power by a temperature difference made in the condenser or the evaporator; A controller for outputting a power control signal according to the level of power output from the second power converter; And a power switch for selecting the output of the first power converter and the second power converter according to the power control signal of the controller and transferring the outputs to the load driver. The method of claim 1, The power control device of the refrigerator, characterized in that the second power conversion unit is composed of a thermoelectric element. The method of claim 1, And the first power converter and the second power converter independently drive.