KR20040026080A - Method for judging valve' opearation error in refrigerator for kimchi - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A method for judging operational error of a valve of a refrigerator is provided to determine operational error of the valve based on correspondence between opening and closing of the valve and fluctuation of temperature in a storage compartment. CONSTITUTION: A method includes the steps of: a step(S102,S105) counting time since opening control signal or closing control signal for controlling opening and closing of a valve is transmitted when the opening control signal or the closing control signal is transmitted; a step(S107) comparing the counted time with reference time preset for determination of operational error of the valve; a step(S108,S109,S110) detecting fluctuation of temperature in a storage compartment if the counted time passes the reference time; and a step(S111,S112) determining whether the opening and closing of the valve correspond with the fluctuation of the temperature in the storage compartment to determine operational error of the valve.

Description

How to determine valve failure of refrigerator {METHOD FOR JUDGING VALVE 'OPEARATION ERROR IN REFRIGERATOR FOR KIMCHI}

The present invention relates to a control method of a refrigerator, and more particularly, to a method of determining a failure of a valve for supplying a refrigerant generated in a compressor of a kimchi refrigerator storing kimchi to a corresponding evaporator.

In general, a multi-room kimchi refrigerator having a plurality of storage compartments has an evaporator installed separately in each storage compartment to supply cold air to each storage compartment, and a refrigerant supplied from one compressor is provided in each storage compartment via each capillary tube. To be supplied.

The multi-room kimchi refrigerator is configured to detect the temperature of each storage room through a temperature sensor provided separately in each storage room, and the temperature information detected in each storage room is transmitted to a control unit that controls the operation of the kimchi refrigerator to control the operation of the compressor. It is. Such a control unit includes a microcomputer configured as a microprocessor. In addition, a valve that is opened and closed under control of a controller is installed in the refrigerant pipe connected to each evaporator so that the refrigerant supplied from the compressor is supplied to the corresponding evaporator.

Therefore, the multi-room kimchi refrigerator detects this when the storage room temperature rises above the set temperature by means of a temperature sensor, and the controller opens the refrigerant pipe connected to the evaporator of the corresponding storage room through the control of the valve and simultaneously starts the compressor. This required storage compartment is cooled.

When the valve is opened or closed by the control unit, the valve may not be normally opened and closed due to abnormal factors such as noise and defect of the valve itself.

However, conventionally, since there is no way of knowing the operation state of the valve, the valve is not normally opened and closed, and thus the refrigerant is not introduced into the evaporator, so the temperature of the storage compartment becomes excessively high or low compared to the normal high temperature, and the food is being stored. There is a problem that is adversely affected.

The present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, an object of the present invention is to send a closing control signal for closing the valve for a predetermined time after sending the opening control signal for opening the valve, or In the case where the opening control signal is not sent to the valve for a predetermined time after the closing control signal is sent to the valve, the failure of the valve is determined according to whether the opening and closing of the valve corresponds to the temperature change of the storage chamber.

In addition, the present invention is to notify the user when the valve is defective.

1 is a refrigeration cycle diagram for explaining a refrigeration cycle of a refrigerator having a solenoid valve according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a refrigeration cycle diagram for explaining a refrigeration cycle of a refrigerator having a DC step motor valve according to another embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a control block diagram illustrating a refrigerator to which the present invention is applied.

4 is a control flowchart illustrating a method of determining an open defect of a valve of a refrigerator according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a timing diagram illustrating the opening and closing characteristics of the valve at no load as a basis for determining a failure of the valve in FIG. 4.

6 is a control flowchart illustrating a method of determining a closing failure of a valve in a refrigerator according to the present invention.

* Description of the code for the main functions of the drawings

14 first temperature sensor 24 second temperature sensor

30 compressor 50 fan

100: control unit 101: input unit

102: outside temperature sensor 103: storage unit

120: display driver 121: display unit

130: compressor driving unit 140: valve driving unit

141: valve means 150: fan drive unit

The present invention for achieving the above object is in the valve failure determination method of the refrigerator provided in the flow path of the evaporator installed to cool the storage chamber, the valve for controlling the supply of refrigerant to the evaporator, the control unit for controlling the valve When the opening control signal or the closing control signal is sent to control the opening and closing of the valve, the time since the opening control signal or the closing control signal is sent is counted, and the counted time is the failure of the valve. Compared with a preset reference time for determination, and when the counted time passes the reference time as a result of the comparison, the temperature change of the storage chamber is detected, and whether the opening and closing of the valve corresponds to the temperature change is determined. It is characterized by determining the defect of.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

1 is a refrigeration cycle diagram for explaining a refrigeration cycle of the kimchi storage having a solenoid valve according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, a kimchi refrigerator to which the present invention is applied includes a storage compartment partitioned into a first chamber and a second chamber 10 and 20, and the first storage chamber 10 and the second storage chamber 20 are heat exchanged in a chamber. For the first evaporator to the second evaporator (13, 23) is installed respectively.

Kimchi refrigerator according to the present invention is a compressor (30) for compressing the refrigerant sucked from the output end of the first evaporator (13) and the second evaporator (23), a condenser (40) for condensing the refrigerant compressed in the compressor (30) And a fan 50 for rapid heat exchange of the condenser 40, and a dryer 60 is connected to an output end of the condenser 40.

The suction end of the first capillary tube and the second capillary tube 12, 22 are connected in parallel to the output end of the dryer 60, and the discharge side of the first capillary tube and the second capillary tube 12, 22 is connected to the first evaporator and the second. It is connected with the suction side of the evaporators 13 and 23, respectively.

A first solenoid valve capable of blocking or opening / closing the flow of refrigerant to the first evaporator and the second evaporators 13 and 23 on the flow path where the first capillary tube, the second capillary tubes 12 and 22, and the dryer 50 are connected. 11) and the second solenoid valve 22 are provided, respectively.

In addition, a first temperature sensor 14 for measuring the internal temperature of the first storage chamber 10 is provided at one side of the first storage chamber 10, and a second temperature for measuring the internal temperature of the second storage chamber 20 is provided. The temperature sensor 24 is provided on one side of the second storage chamber 20. The 1st temperature sensor 14 and the 2nd temperature sensor 24 are electrically connected with the control part mentioned later. In addition, an outside air temperature sensor (not shown) for detecting the outside air temperature of the kimchi refrigerator is electrically connected to the control unit.

Hereinafter, a kimchi refrigerator having a direct current step motor valve instead of a solenoid valve will be described as another embodiment of the present invention.

In recent years, DC power motors have been used in comparison to solenoid valves in comparison with solenoid valves. Such a DC step motor valve is a valve configured to open and close a flow path by rotating an internal motor, and a commercial DC step motor is used for the motor. In general, the step motor is configured such that the motor rotates at a predetermined rotation angle corresponding to the input pulse. That is, the total number of input pulses is the total rotation angle of the motor.

2 is a refrigeration cycle diagram for explaining a refrigeration cycle of a kimchi refrigerator having a DC step motor valve according to another embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in Fig. 2, the DC step motor valve 11 'is composed of one inlet and two outlets, and the outlets are connected to the suction side flow paths of the respective evaporators, and the inlet is the discharge outlet side of the compressor. It is connected to the flow path connected with. Accordingly, the internal DC step motor is rotated to close the flow path to the evaporator at the same time, only one of the flow path to the evaporator is closed, and the other one is located in the section to open the flow path to the evaporator at the same time The desired control can be performed.

3 is a control block diagram illustrating a kimchi refrigerator to which the present invention is applied.

Referring to Figure 3, the kimchi refrigerator to which the present invention is applied is provided with a control unit 100 for controlling the overall operation.

The input side of the control unit 100 has an input unit 101 for receiving a command from a user, a first temperature sensor 14 for detecting a temperature inside a high temperature of the first storage chamber 10, and a second storage chamber 20. The second temperature sensor 24 for detecting the high temperature inside and the outside air temperature sensor 102 for detecting the outside temperature of the kimchi refrigerator are electrically connected.

In addition, the output side of the control unit 100, the compressor driving unit 130 for driving the compressor 30, the fan driving unit 130 for driving the fan 40, the open control signal or the closed control signal of the control unit 100 The valve driving unit 140 for controlling the operation of the valve means 141 for opening and closing the flow path to the first and second evaporators 13 and 23, the display unit 121 and the display unit 121 to display the operation state The display driver 120 to be driven is electrically connected. At this time, the valve means 141 is the first solenoid valve 11 and the second solenoid valve 12 in FIG. 1 or the DC step motor 11 'in FIG.

In addition, a storage unit 103 for storing preset data is electrically connected to an input / output side capable of both input and output of the controller 100.

Figure 4 is a control flow diagram for explaining a method for determining the open failure of the valve of the kimchi refrigerator according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4 with reference to FIGS. 1 and 3, the controller 100 detects the internal temperature of the storage compartment 10 through the temperature sensor 14 (S100).

When the temperature of the storage compartment 10 is detected, the controller 100 compares the internal temperature detected by the temperature sensor 14 with the first set temperature (0 ° C. as an example of the valve opening point temperature) set in the storage compartment 10. It is determined whether the internal temperature of the storage compartment 10 is higher than the first set temperature (S101).

As a result of the determination, when the internal temperature of the storage compartment 10 is equal to or greater than the first predetermined temperature, the controller 100 may allow the refrigerant generated by the compressor 30 to pass through the first capillary tube 12 to the evaporator 13 of the storage compartment 10. The opening control signal for opening the valve means 141 so as to lower the internal temperature of the storage compartment 10 is transmitted to the valve driving unit 140 (S102).

Subsequently, the control unit 100 determines whether the valve means 141 is normally opened by the opening control signal sent in step S102. First, the control unit 100 uses the outside air temperature sensor 102 to determine whether The outside temperature is detected (S103). A reference time corresponding to the detected outside temperature is determined (S104). In this case, the reference time is a time before the valve means 141 transmits the open control signal in the normal state and then transmits the closed control signal. The reference time is previously set differently according to the outside temperature of the kimchi refrigerator. It is stored in advance so as to correspond to the figure. For reference, as shown in Figure 5, the valve means 141 of the kimchi refrigerator when the outside temperature is 15 ℃ under no load conditions, and repeats the opening and closing with a period of 40 minutes, the outside air temperature is higher 30 If it is ℃, it has a cycle of 15 minutes to repeat the opening and closing. That is, in the above cycle condition, opening or closing is repeated at least once. In addition, the operation of the valve means 141 is to repeat the opening or closing operation when the storage room temperature, such as ambient temperature, load, door opening is changed, the repetition period is determined based on the above-mentioned cycle conditions.

After determining the reference time, the controller 100 counts the time after transmitting the open control signal (S105).

Then, the control unit 100 determines whether there is a transmission of the closing control signal for closing the valve means (141) (S106). If, as a result of the determination, there is a transmission of the closing control signal, the valve means 141 is normally opened and the internal temperature of the storage compartment 10 is sufficiently low, and it is determined that the valve is normal (S115).

On the other hand, if there is no transmission of the closing control signal as a result of the determination in step S106, the control unit 100 determines whether the counted time to date has passed the reference time (for example, 1 hour) of the valve determined in step S104. It is determined (S107). If one hour has not passed as a result of the determination in step S107, the flow returns to step S105 to continue counting time.

When the counted time passes the reference time as a result of the determination in step S107, the control unit 100 detects the internal temperature T1 of the storage chamber 10 through the temperature sensor 14 (S108).

Then, the control unit 100 counts the elapsed time after the internal temperature T1 of the storage chamber 10 is detected, and determines whether the counted elapsed time has passed a predetermined time (30 minutes as an example) (S109). If 30 minutes have elapsed as a result of the determination in step S108, the control unit 100 detects the internal temperature T2 of the storage compartment 10 through the temperature sensor 14 again (S110).

Subsequently, the controller 100 compares the internal temperature T1 and the internal temperature T2 detected in steps S108 and S110 to determine whether the internal temperature T1 is lower than the internal temperature T2. (S111). If the internal temperature T1 is lower than the internal temperature T2 as a result of the determination in step S111, the valve means 141 is not opened and the refrigerant is not supplied to the evaporator 13. ) Determines that the valve means 141 is defective (S112).

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S111 that the valve means 141 is defective, the controller 100 determines whether the valve failure is a predetermined number of times (S113). If the determination result is less than the predetermined number of times, the control unit 100 returns to step S102 to check the valve failure again and performs the same operation as above, and then determines whether the predetermined number of times again. This is because if the abnormal control signal, the valve means 141 can be operated normally again, so do not proceed to the next step immediately, return to step 102 to control again to close the valve means (141) This is to determine whether the valve means 141 is defective after performing so as to automatically correct in the case of a simple operation failure. In the case where the valve means 141 is a DC step motor valve 11 ', the step motor is rotated to the home position and then the step motor is rotated back to the determined position so as to return the valve to its original position. Do this.

As a result of the determination in step S113, when the valve failure is greater than the predetermined number of times, the controller 100 displays a valve failure through the display unit 121 to warn the user (S114).

On the other hand, as a result of the determination in step S111 when the internal temperature T1 is higher than the internal temperature T2, the control unit 100 is that the valve means 141 is normally open and the refrigerant is supplied to the evaporator 13. The control unit 100 determines that the valve means 141 is normal (S115).

6 is a control flowchart illustrating a method of determining a closing failure of a valve of a kimchi refrigerator according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 6, the controller 100 detects the internal temperature of the storage compartment 10 through the temperature sensor 14 (S200).

When the temperature of the storage compartment 10 is detected, the control unit 100 compares the internal temperature detected by the temperature sensor 14 with the second set temperature set at the storage compartment 10 (-2 ° C. as an example of the valve closing point temperature). In step S201, it is determined whether the internal temperature of the storage compartment 10 is lower than the second set temperature.

As a result of the determination, when the internal temperature of the storage compartment 10 is lower than the second set temperature, the controller 100 blocks the refrigerant generated by the compressor 30 in the evaporator 13 of the storage compartment 10 to store the storage compartment 10. The closing control signal for closing the valve means 141 is sent to the valve driving unit 140 so as to increase the internal temperature of the valve (S202).

Subsequently, the control unit 100 determines whether the valve means 141 is normally closed by the closing control signal sent in step S202. First, the control unit 100 uses the outside air temperature sensor 102 of the kimchi refrigerator. The outside temperature is detected (S203). A reference time corresponding to the detected outside temperature is determined (S204). At this time, the reference time is the time before the valve means 141 sends the closing control signal in the normal state and before sending the opening control signal, and is preset differently according to the outside temperature of the kimchi refrigerator, and the outside temperature described above. It is stored in advance to correspond to the figure.

After determining the reference time, the controller 100 counts a time after transmitting the closing control signal (S205).

Then, the control unit 100 determines whether there is a transmission of an opening control signal for opening the valve means 141 (S206). If, as a result of the determination, there is a transmission of the open control signal, it is determined that the valve means 141 is normally closed and the internal temperature of the storage compartment 10 is sufficiently high, so that the valve is normal (S215).

On the other hand, if there is no transmission of the open control signal as a result of the determination in step S206, the control unit 100 determines whether the counted time to date has passed the reference time (for example, 1 hour) of the valve determined in step S204. It is determined (S207). If the counted time has not passed the reference time as a result of the determination in step S207, the flow returns to step S105 to continue counting time.

When the counted time passes the reference time as a result of the determination in step S207, the controller 100 detects the internal temperature T1 of the storage chamber 10 through the temperature sensor 14 (S208).

Then, the controller 100 counts the elapsed time after the internal temperature T1 of the storage chamber 10 is detected, and determines whether the counted elapsed time has passed a predetermined time (30 minutes as an example) (S209). If 30 minutes have elapsed as a result of the determination in step S209, the controller 100 detects the internal temperature T2 of the storage compartment 10 through the temperature sensor 14 again (S210).

Subsequently, the controller 100 compares the internal temperature T1 and the internal temperature T2 detected in steps S208 and S210 to determine whether the internal temperature T1 is higher than the internal temperature T2. (S210). If the internal temperature T1 is higher than the internal temperature T2 as a result of the determination in step S211, since the valve means 141 is not closed, the refrigerant is supplied to the evaporator 13, so that the controller 100 It is determined that the valve means 141 is bad (S212).

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S211 that the valve means 141 is inferior, the control unit 100 determines whether the valve failure is a predetermined number of times (S213). If the determination result is less than the predetermined number of times, the control unit 100 returns to step S202 to check the valve failure again, performs the same operation as above, and determines whether the predetermined number of times again. At this time, in the case where the valve means 141 is a DC step motor valve 11 ', the step motor is rotated and moved to the origin, and then the step motor is rotated back to the determined position so as to return the valve to the original position. Do this.

As a result of the determination in step S213, when the valve failure is greater than the predetermined number of times, the control unit 100 displays a valve failure through the display unit 121 to warn the user (S214).

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S211 that the internal temperature T1 is lower than the internal temperature T2, the control unit 100 means that the valve means 141 is normally closed to shut off the refrigerant supply to the evaporator 13. As a result, the control unit 100 determines that the valve means 141 is normal (S215).

In the above description, the first storage chamber is described, but the present invention is not limited to the first storage chamber, and the second storage chamber can be implemented in the same manner.

As described in detail above, in the present invention, after the opening control signal for opening the valve is sent, the closing control signal for closing the valve is not sent for a predetermined time, or after the closing control signal is sent to the valve. When the opening control signal is not sent to the valve for a predetermined time, the valve may be determined based on a change in temperature of the storage chamber, thereby determining whether the valve is defective.

In addition, the present invention has the effect of preventing the damage to the food being stored as the temperature of the storage compartment is excessively increased or lowered by the failure of the valve by warning the user to deal with it if the valve is defective.

Claims (11)

In the valve failure determination method of the refrigerator having a valve provided in the flow path of the evaporator provided to cool the storage compartment, the refrigerant supply to the evaporator flow path, the control unit for controlling the valve, When there is a transmission of the opening control signal or the closing control signal for controlling the opening and closing of the valve, the time after the opening control signal or the closing control signal is sent is counted, Compare the counted time with a reference time preset for the failure determination of the valve, If the counted time passes the reference time as a result of the comparison, detecting a temperature change of the storage compartment, The valve failure determination method of the refrigerator, characterized in that for determining the failure of the valve by determining whether the opening and closing of the valve corresponds to the temperature change. The method of claim 1, When the opening control signal is sent, the time is counted after the opening control signal is sent, and it is determined whether the closing control signal is being sent, and when there is no transmission of the closing control signal, the count is determined. The valve failure determination method of the refrigerator, characterized in that for comparing the set time and the reference time. The method of claim 2, And if the counted time has passed the reference time as a result of the comparison, determining that the valve is defective when the temperature of the storage compartment gradually increases. The method of claim 2, And the valve is judged to be normal when the closing control signal is sent as a result of the determination. The method of claim 1, When the closing control signal is sent, the time is counted after the closing control signal is sent, and it is determined whether there is a sending of the opening control signal, and when there is no sending of the opening control signal, the count is determined. The valve failure determination method of the refrigerator, characterized in that for comparing the set time and the reference time. The method of claim 5, And when the counted time has passed the reference time as a result of the comparison, determining that the valve is defective when the temperature of the storage chamber gradually decreases. The method of claim 5, And the valve is judged to be normal when the opening control signal is sent as a result of the determination. The method of claim 1, The reference time is a valve failure determination method of the refrigerator, characterized in that different preset according to the outside temperature of the kimchi refrigerator. The method of claim 1, And a valve failure determination method of notifying the user of the valve failure when it is determined that the valve is defective. The method of claim 1, The refrigerator is a valve failure determination method of the refrigerator characterized in that the kimchi refrigerator for storing kimchi. The method of claim 1, The valve is a valve failure determination method of the refrigerator, characterized in that the step motor is rotated by the pulse signal of the DC power supply to open and close the flow path.