KR20010076895A - Refrigerator and operating control method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A refrigerator and method for controlling operation of refrigerator is provided to maintain the temperature of cooling chamber in a stable manner by reducing the frequency of starting up and operation stoppage of the compressor. CONSTITUTION: A refrigerator comprises a main body having a cooling chamber and an air flow channel formed at the cooling chamber; an evaporator disposed in the air flow channel; indoor air temperature sensors(27,29) for detecting indoor air temperature of the cooling chamber; an outdoor air temperature sensor(25) for detecting outdoor air temperature; first and second compressors(17,19) for receiving refrigerant from the evaporator and compressing the refrigerant; a load amount calculation unit(33) for calculating compression load amount of the refrigerant in accordance with the temperature value detected by indoor temperature sensors and outdoor air temperature sensor; and a control unit(31) for controlling one or both of the first compressor and the second compressor in accordance with the compression load amount calculated by the load amount calculation unit.

Description

Refrigerator and its operation control method {REFRIGERATOR AND OPERATING CONTROL METHOD THEREOF}

The present invention relates to a refrigerator and its operation control method, and more particularly, to reduce the number of starting and stopping of the compressor to suppress transient loss and to easily cope with relatively small load fluctuations. The present invention relates to a refrigerator and its operation control method which can be stably maintained.

In general, a refrigerator includes a main body including a freezer compartment configured to store food at a relatively low temperature, a refrigerating compartment having a relatively high temperature storage area compared to the freezer compartment, and a freezer compartment coupled to the main body to open and close the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment. And a refrigerating chamber door. An air flow path is formed in the rear region of the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment to allow air to circulate, and an evaporator is installed in the air passage to cool the air.

An accommodating space called a machine room is formed in the lower rear region of the main body, and a compressor for compressing the refrigerant and a condenser for dissipating and condensing the refrigerant compressed from the compressor are provided in the machine room. The condensed refrigerant is provided to an evaporator disposed in the air flow path through an expansion device such as a capillary tube to absorb latent heat from the surroundings and evaporate to perform cooling of the air.

On the other hand, the refrigerant compression capacity of the compressor of the refrigerator is determined in consideration of the volume of the cooling chamber including the freezing chamber or the refrigerating chamber, the temperature condition of the outside air, and the amount of the freezing load according to the kind of food stored and stored in the cooling chamber. Generally, the refrigerant compression capacity of a compressor is determined in the case where the temperature of the outside air is very high or the amount of freezing load is very large, and it is usually designed to have two to three times the supercooling capacity compared to the freezing capacity in normal operation. .

Accordingly, the compressor is driven for a predetermined time so that the internal temperature of the cooling chamber reaches the target value, and when the internal temperature reaches the target value, the compressor performs so-called "intermittent operation" to stop the driving, so that the overall operation rate of the compressor is It is about 40%.

On the other hand, when the compressor performs the intermittent operation, the heat loss caused by the introduction of a high temperature refrigerant from the relatively high pressure condenser side to the relatively low pressure evaporator side, and the evaporator has a predetermined delay time even after the compressor starts up. The so-called "transient loss" occurs such as the delay loss caused by the operation.

By the way, in such a conventional refrigerator, the compressor is designed to have a relatively excessive capacity, there is a problem that the intermittent operation of the compressor is unavoidable, the transient loss is generated due to this, the operation efficiency of the compressor is impaired.

In addition, since the compressor has an overcapacity, it is easy to cause subcooling during operation, and when the compressor is stopped, the temperature of the cooling chamber is likely to be higher than the desired storage temperature of the stored food. There is a problem that the temperature cannot be kept stable.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to reduce the number of start-ups and stops of a compressor to suppress transient losses and to cope with relatively small load fluctuations, and to keep the temperature of the cooling chamber stable, and a method of controlling the operation thereof. To provide.

1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a refrigerator in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a refrigeration cycle of the refrigerator of FIG. 1;

3 is a control block diagram of the refrigerator of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a schematic flowchart illustrating an operation control method of the refrigerator of FIG. 1.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

1: body 3a: freezer

3b: refrigerating chamber 10: evaporator

13: blower fan 15: machine room

17: first compressor 19: second compressor

21 condenser 23 expansion device

25: outside temperature detection sensor 27: freezer temperature detection sensor

29: fridge temperature detection sensor 31: control unit

33: load amount calculation unit 35: rotational speed calculation unit

The object is, according to the present invention, at least one cooling chamber, the main body formed with an air flow path on one side of the cooling chamber; At least one evaporator disposed in the air passage; An indoor temperature detection sensor detecting an indoor temperature of the cooling chamber; An outside air temperature detection sensor for detecting outside air temperature of the cooling chamber; A first compressor and a second compressor for receiving and compressing a refrigerant from the evaporator; A load calculation unit that calculates a compression load of the refrigerant based on the temperature value detected by the room temperature detection sensor and the outside temperature detection sensor; And a control unit which controls at least one of the first compressor and the second compressor to be rotated based on the compression load calculated by the load calculation unit.

Here, at least one of the first compressor and the second compressor is preferably configured as a variable speed compressor capable of changing the refrigerating capacity by varying the rotational speed.

The first compressor and the second compressor have different refrigeration capacity, the maximum freezing capacity of the compressor having a relatively small freezing capacity of the first and second compressors is the minimum freezing capacity of the compressor having a relatively high freezing capacity It is effective to form so as to have a predetermined overlap region.

A rotation speed calculation unit may further include a rotation speed calculation unit configured to calculate rotation speeds of the first compressor and the second compressor based on the compression load amount calculated by the load calculation unit. Preferably, the first compressor and the second compressor are rotated based on the rotation control.

On the other hand, according to another field of the invention, the step of detecting the internal temperature and the outside temperature; Calculating a compression load of the refrigerant based on the detected temperature values; Selecting at least one of the plurality of compressors based on the calculated compression load; There is provided an operation control method of a refrigerator comprising a rotation control step of a compressor for controlling the selected compressor to rotate.

The method may further include calculating a rotation speed of the selected compressor before the rotation control step of the compressor. In the rotation control step, it is preferable to control the rotation of the compressor based on the calculated rotation speed.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described in detail with respect to the present invention.

1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the refrigeration cycle of the refrigerator of FIG. As shown in these figures, the refrigerator according to the present invention includes a main body 1 and a main body 1 in which a freezing chamber 3a and a refrigerating chamber 3b are respectively formed in an up-down direction with a partition wall 4 interposed therebetween. It has a freezing chamber door 5a and a refrigerating chamber door 5b which are hinged to the side wall, and rotate and open and close the freezing chamber 3a and the refrigerating chamber 3b, respectively.

Air passages 7a and 7b are formed in the rear regions of the freezing chamber 3a and the refrigerating chamber 3b, respectively, and the evaporator so as to cool the air in the air passage 7a formed in the rear region of the freezing chamber 3a. 10) is installed. A blower fan 13 is installed above the evaporator 10 to provide cooled air to the freezer compartment 3a and the refrigerating chamber 3b, and the partition wall 4 has a freezing chamber 3a and a refrigerator compartment 3b. The freezer compartment return passage 9a and the refrigerator compartment return passage 9b are respectively formed so that air can flow into the evaporator 10 side.

On the other hand, the machine chamber 15 is provided in the lower rear region of the main body 1, a pair of the first compressor 17 and the first compressor 17 so as to receive and compress the refrigerant from the evaporator 10 inside the machine chamber 15 Two compressors 19 are provided.

Here, the first compressor (17) and the second compressor (19) has a different refrigeration capacity and is composed of an inverter compressor capable of controlling the refrigeration capacity by varying the operating speed. In addition, it is easy to configure the refrigeration capacity at the highest operating frequency of a compressor having a relatively small capacity among the two compressors at least equal to the freezing capacity at the lowest operating frequency of a compressor having a relatively large capacity. Can respond.

Compression capacities of the first compressor (17) and the second compressor (19), the second compressor (19) having a relatively small capacity when the drive at the highest operating frequency, and the first having a relatively large capacity When the first compressor 17 is driven at the lowest operating frequency (or rotational speed), the freezing capacity is configured to be the same, or the freezing capacity at the highest operating frequency of the second compressor 19 is equal to that of the first compressor 17. It is effective to be configured to exceed the freezing capacity at the minimum operating frequency.

One side of the first compressor 17 and the second compressor 19 is provided with a condenser 21 that is compressed from these compressors to receive the refrigerant in a high-temperature, high-pressure gas state to condense through heat radiation. Between the condenser 21 and the evaporator 10 is provided with an expansion device 23 composed of a capillary tube or the like so that the condensed refrigerant can be expanded under reduced pressure.

The upper surface of the main body 1 is provided with a control unit 31 configured in the form of a microcomputer with a built-in control program, and one side is provided with an outside air temperature detection sensor 25 to detect the outside air temperature.

In the upper region of the freezer compartment 3a, a freezer compartment temperature detection sensor 27 is installed to detect the internal temperature of the freezer compartment 3a. On both sides of the refrigerator compartment 3b, the internal temperature of the refrigerator compartment 3b can be detected. The refrigerator compartment temperature detection sensor 29 is provided, respectively.

3 is a control block diagram of the refrigerator of FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 is a schematic flowchart for describing an operation control method of the refrigerator of FIG. 1. As shown in these figures, the control unit 31 includes a freezer compartment temperature detection sensor 27 and a refrigerator compartment temperature detection sensor 29 for detecting the room temperature of the freezer compartment 3a and the refrigerating compartment 3b, and for detecting the outdoor temperature. The outside temperature detection sensor 25, the first compressor 17 and the second compressor 19 are connected, respectively.

In addition, the control part 31 calculates by the load amount calculation part 33 and the load amount calculation part 33 which calculate the compression load amount of a refrigerant | coolant based on the internal temperature and the outside temperature of the freezing chamber 3a and the refrigerating chamber 3b. The rotation speed calculating part 35 which calculates the rotation speed of the 1st compressor 17 and the 2nd compressor 19 based on the compressed load amount of the refrigerant | coolant which were received is attached, respectively.

By this configuration, the control unit 31 controls the outside temperature detection sensor 25 to detect the outside temperature value (S10), and controls the freezer compartment temperature detection sensor 27 and the refrigerator compartment temperature detection sensor 29 to freezer compartment. (3a) and each internal temperature of the refrigerating chamber 3b is detected (S20).

Next, the control unit 27 controls the load calculation unit 33 to calculate the compression load of the refrigerant based on the detected outside temperature value and the room temperature value (S30), and based on the calculated compression load, the first compressor. It is selected whether to drive one or both of (17) and the second compressor (19) (S40).

When the compressor is selected, the rotation speed calculating unit 35 calculates the rotation speed of the selected compressor (S50), and the controller 31 rotates the selected compressor based on the calculated rotation speed (S60).

In the above-described and illustrated embodiments, the case where both the first compressor and the second compressor are configured as an inverter compressor is described as an example. However, even when the compressor is configured as a constant speed compressor, the compressor starts and The number of stops can be reduced, and the internal temperature of the freezer compartment or the refrigerating compartment can be stably maintained.

In addition, in the above-described and illustrated embodiments, the case where the freezing capacity at the lowest frequency of the first compressor and the freezing capacity at the highest frequency of the second compressor has been described as an example is described, but the total compression load of the refrigerant is given. In consideration of the above, the compression capacity of the first compressor and the second compressor can be appropriately combined.

As described above, according to the present invention, unlike the conventional method of adjusting the internal temperature of the cooling chamber by starting and stopping the compressor by configuring the compressor as a pair and efficiently coping with small load fluctuations, It is possible to reduce the number of starts and stops, thereby reducing the transient loss due to the repeated start and stop, and to provide a refrigerator and its operation control method capable of stably maintaining the internal temperature of the cooling chamber.

Claims (2)

At least one cooling chamber and a main body having an air flow path formed at one side of the cooling chamber; At least one evaporator disposed in the air passage; An indoor temperature detection sensor detecting an indoor temperature of the cooling chamber; An outside air temperature detection sensor for detecting outside air temperature of the cooling chamber; A first compressor and a second compressor for receiving and compressing a refrigerant from the evaporator; A load calculation unit that calculates a compression load of the refrigerant based on the temperature value detected by the room temperature detection sensor and the outside temperature detection sensor; And a control unit which controls at least one of the first compressor and the second compressor to be rotated based on the compression load calculated by the load calculation unit. Detecting the inside temperature and the outside temperature; Calculating a compression load of the refrigerant based on the detected temperature values; Selecting at least one of the plurality of compressors based on the calculated compression load; And a rotation control step of the compressor for controlling the selected compressor to rotate.