KR20070092040A - Method for control operating of refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

An operation control method for a refrigerator is provided to send refrigerant to an evaporator of a freezing compartment at a low external temperature condition for preventing overcooling of a refrigerating compartment, thereby reducing a heat irradiated from a heater for the overcooling prevention and improving constant temperature keeping performance of the refrigerator. An operation control method for a refrigerator includes the steps of determining whether temperatures of a plurality of storing chambers reach a set temperature according to operation of a compressor(S120), and determining whether an external temperature is a low temperature or not after turning off the compressor if temperatures of the plurality of storing chambers reach the set temperature(S160). If the external temperature is a low temperature, refrigerant is introduced into an evaporator of a freezing compartment for preventing overcooling of a refrigerating compartment(S170). In the overcooling preventing step, a capillary pipe of the freezing compartment is opened by the control of a refrigerant direction control unit for introducing the refrigerant into the evaporator of the freezing compartment. If the external temperature is not a low temperature, the refrigerant is introduced into an evaporator of the refrigerating compartment for carrying out natural defrosting(S180).

Description

Method for control operating of refrigerator

1 is a cycle configuration diagram of a refrigerator according to the present invention,

2 is a block diagram of an operation control apparatus of a refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present invention;

3 is a flowchart illustrating an operation control method of a refrigerator according to the present invention;

* Description of symbols on the main parts of the drawings *

       10 compressor 12 condenser

14: three-way valve 16,18: freezer and refrigerating chamber side capillary

20: freezer compartment evaporator 22: cold compartment evaporator

34: external temperature sensor 36: control unit

The present invention relates to an operation control method of a refrigerator that independently cools a freezer compartment and a refrigerating compartment, and more particularly, to an operation control method of a refrigerator that maintains a constant temperature of a refrigerating compartment in a low temperature condition after completion of a cooling operation.

In general, a refrigerator is applied with a conventional refrigeration cycle in which a refrigerant is circulated therein and absorbs heat when the refrigerant in a liquid state evaporates, thereby supplying the generated cold air to a food storage room such as a refrigerator compartment and a refrigerator compartment. To keep food fresh for a long time, the freezer is usually about -18 ℃, the refrigerator is usually kept at a low temperature of about 3 ℃.

The cooling device employed in the refrigeration cycle includes a compressor for compressing a refrigerant at high temperature and high pressure, a condenser for condensing the compressed refrigerant by heat exchange with the surroundings, a capillary tube for expanding the condensed refrigerant at a low pressure, and a refrigerant expanded at a low pressure. And an evaporator for evaporating heat by exchange with the stock, the evaporator being installed in the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment, respectively, and including a freezer compartment evaporator and a refrigerator compartment evaporator.

The freezer compartment evaporator and the refrigerator compartment evaporator are respectively installed in the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment to independently cool the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment, and a fan is installed in the freezer compartment evaporator and the refrigerator compartment evaporator to circulate the cold air passing through the respective evaporators to the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment as a whole.

When the user sets the desired freezer and refrigerator compartment temperatures in the refrigerator, the compressor starts operation when the freezer compartment or the refrigerator compartment internal temperature is detected and is higher than the set temperature, which describes the operation control pattern of the conventional refrigerator.

First, operate the compressor when the temperature of the refrigerator compartment is higher than the set temperature.The three-way valve sends the refrigerant to the refrigerator compartment evaporator under the condition that the refrigerator compartment side capillary tube is opened and the refrigerator compartment side capillary tube is closed. In the valve, the refrigerant is sent to the freezer compartment evaporator under the condition that the refrigerator compartment side capillary tube is closed and the freezer compartment side capillary tube is opened to cool the freezer compartment.

Then, when the freezer temperature drops below the set temperature, the compressor is turned off, and the refrigerant is sent to the refrigerator compartment evaporator under the condition of opening the refrigerator compartment capillary at the three-way valve and closing the refrigerator compartment capillary. At this time, the compressor is off, but due to the pressure difference, the refrigerant in the condensation unit (high pressure) passes through the refrigerating chamber side capillary tube and flows into the refrigerating chamber evaporator at a temperature of -10 ° C to -15 ° C. This is called natural defrost.

However, when the external temperature is less than 18 ° C, the heat load input from the outside to the refrigerating compartment is similar to the heat load flowing from the refrigerating compartment to the freezing compartment. After completion of the cooling operation (after the compressor is turned off), the control of the three-way valve is maintained in the direction of the refrigerator compartment evaporator to lower the temperature of the refrigerator compartment and promote the refrigerator compartment overcooling.

Thus, conventionally, in the low temperature conditions, the refrigerator compartment defrost heater is turned on to heat the refrigerator compartment to maintain the refrigerator compartment temperature at the set temperature.However, when the refrigerator compartment is heated by the heater in the low temperature condition, power consumption increases and the constant temperature of the stored food is increased. There is a problem that the deterioration of the performance deteriorates the performance of the refrigerator.

Accordingly, the present invention is to solve the above conventional problems, an object of the present invention is to control the direction of the refrigerant toward the freezer compartment evaporator after the end of the cooling operation (after the compressor is turned off) in the low temperature conditions to reduce the supercooling of the refrigerator compartment It is to provide an operation control method of the refrigerator that can be prevented.

Another object of the present invention is to control the refrigerant to remain in the freezer compartment evaporator instead of the refrigerator compartment evaporator in the low temperature conditions after the end of the cooling operation to reduce the heater heating amount to prevent the refrigerating compartment overcooling to reduce the power consumption and the temperature of the refrigerator It is to provide an operation control method of the refrigerator to improve the.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a control of a refrigerator having a plurality of storage chambers, a plurality of evaporators and capillary tubes corresponding to the plurality of storage chambers, and a refrigerant direction control device for controlling the direction of the refrigerant flowing through the plurality of storage chambers. A method comprising: determining whether the plurality of storage compartment temperatures have reached a set temperature in accordance with a compressor operation; Determining whether a low temperature condition is detected by sensing an external temperature after the compressor is turned off when the plurality of storage chamber temperatures reach a set temperature; And if the external temperature is a low temperature condition, introducing a refrigerant into a freezer compartment evaporator among the plurality of evaporators to prevent refrigerating compartment subcooling.

The preventing of the refrigerating compartment subcooling may include controlling the refrigerant to flow into the freezing chamber evaporator by opening a freezing chamber side capillary tube among the plurality of capillary tubes through the control of the refrigerant direction controller.

And, the present invention is characterized in that it further comprises the step of performing a natural defrost by introducing a refrigerant into the refrigerator compartment evaporator of the plurality of evaporators if the external temperature is not a low temperature condition.

In the performing of the natural defrosting, the refrigerant may be introduced into the refrigerator compartment evaporator by opening the refrigerator compartment side capillary tube of the plurality of capillaries through the control of the refrigerant direction controller.

In addition, the refrigerant direction control device is characterized in that at least one of the three-way valve, four-way valve, a plurality of on / off valves.

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

1 is a cycle configuration diagram of a refrigerator according to the present invention.

In FIG. 1, the refrigerator of the present invention is connected to a compressor 10 compressing a refrigerant and an outlet pipe of the compressor 10, and condenses the refrigerant passing through the compressor 10 by heat exchange with the surroundings by a condensation fan 13. The freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment evaporator 20 which exchanges the refrigerant passing through the condenser 12, the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment side capillary tubes 16 and 18, and the capillary tubes 16 and 18 to exchange heat with the air inside the freezer compartment. , 22).

The pipe extending from the outlet of the refrigerator compartment evaporator 22 is connected to join the pipe connected to the inlet of the freezer compartment evaporator 20 so that the refrigerant passing through the refrigerator compartment evaporator 22 passes through the freezer compartment evaporator 20 again. Finally, the gaseous refrigerant passing through the freezer compartment evaporator 20 flows back to the compressor 10 through a pipe connecting the freezer compartment evaporator 20 and the compressor 10.

In addition, a three-way valve 14 for controlling the direction of the refrigerant passing through the condenser 12 toward the freezer compartment or the refrigerator compartment evaporators 20 and 22 between the condenser 12 and the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment side capillaries 16 and 18. Way Valve) is installed, and the freezer compartment evaporator 20 and the refrigerator compartment evaporator 22 are provided with a freezer compartment fan 21 and a refrigerator compartment fan 23 for circulating cold air, respectively.

Meanwhile, although the three-way valve 14 is used as the refrigerant direction control device for controlling the direction of the refrigerant in FIG. 1, a plurality of on / off valves and four-way valves may be used as necessary.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an operation control apparatus for a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. In addition to the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, a freezer compartment temperature sensor 30 that detects a freezer compartment temperature, and a refrigerator compartment temperature sensor that detects a refrigerator compartment temperature. 32, an external temperature sensor 34 for detecting an external temperature condition, and a control unit 36 for controlling each device of the refrigerator.

The control unit 36 is a microcomputer that controls the overall operation of the refrigerator. The control unit 36 determines the internal temperature of the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment corresponding to the voltage values input from the freezer compartment and the refrigerator compartment temperature sensors 30 and 32, and sets a user set temperature Tfset, Trset), and controls the operation for cooling the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment according to the comparison result.

In addition, the control unit 36 grasps the external temperature condition input from the external temperature sensor 34 during the operation control for cooling the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment, and ends the cooling operation when the external temperature is a low temperature condition of 18 ° C. or less (compressor). After the off) the three-way valve 14 is controlled to the freezer compartment evaporator 20 to prevent overcooling of the refrigerating compartment.

Hereinafter, the operation process and operation effects of the operation control method of the refrigerator configured as described above will be described.

3 is an operation flowchart of an operation control method of a refrigerator according to the present invention, in which a freezer compartment and a refrigerator compartment evaporator 22 are respectively installed in the freezer compartment and the refrigerator compartment to independently cool the freezer compartment and the refrigerator compartment, The operation control pattern of the three-way valve 14 for controlling the direction of the refrigerant flowing through the freezer compartment evaporator 20 and the refrigerating compartment evaporator 22 after the end of the cooling operation (after the compressor is turned off) at a low temperature of 18 ° C. or lower will be described.

First, when the user sets the control target temperatures (Trset, Tfset) of the refrigerator compartment and the freezer compartment, the temperature of the refrigerator compartment and the freezer compartment is sensed by the refrigerator compartment temperature sensor 32 and the freezer compartment temperature sensor 30 to apply the operating conditions of the compressor 10. Determine (S100 ~ S110).

The operating condition of the compressor 10 is determined according to the internal temperature of the refrigerator 10, wherein the refrigerator compartment temperature Tr detected by the refrigerator compartment temperature sensor 32 is higher than the refrigerator compartment set temperature Trset or the freezer compartment detected by the freezer compartment temperature sensor 30. This is the case where the temperature Tf is higher than the freezer compartment set temperature Tfset.

The refrigerating chamber set temperature Trset is the control target temperature of the refrigerating chamber, and the freezer compartment set temperature Tfset is the control target temperature of the freezer compartment, which the user can adjust in multiple stages through a temperature controller or a button.

If the operating condition of the compressor 10, the control unit 36 first determines whether the refrigerator compartment temperature (Tr) is higher than the refrigerator compartment set temperature (Trset) (S120), if the refrigerator compartment temperature (Tr) is higher than the refrigerator compartment set temperature (Trset). (10) is operated (on), and the three-way valve 14 is controlled to open the refrigerating compartment side capillary 18 and close the freezer compartment side capillary 16 to send the refrigerant toward the refrigerating compartment evaporator 22.

At this time, the condenser fan 13, the freezer compartment fan 21, and the refrigerating compartment fan 23 are operated (on) simultaneously with the operation of the compressor 10 to cool the refrigerating compartment temperature Tr to the set temperature Trset (S130). ).

When the refrigerator compartment temperature Tr reaches the set temperature Trset, the control unit 36 determines whether the freezer compartment temperature Tf is higher than the freezer compartment set temperature Tfset (S140), and the freezer compartment temperature Tf is the freezer compartment set temperature (Trset). If higher than Tfset, the three-way valve 14 is controlled in the operation state of the compressor 10 to close the refrigerating chamber side capillary 18 and send the refrigerant toward the freezer compartment evaporator 20 under the condition of opening the freezing chamber side capillary tube 16. . At this time, the refrigerating compartment fan 23 is stopped (off) and the freezing compartment temperature Tf is cooled to the set temperature Tfset by the independent operation of the freezing compartment fan 21 (S150).

Thereafter, when the freezer compartment temperature Tf falls below the set temperature Tfset, the compressor 10 is turned off. At this time, the external temperature sensor is sensed by the external temperature sensor 34 to determine whether the external temperature is a low temperature condition of 18 ° C. or lower. (S160).

If the external temperature is a low temperature condition, the freezer compartment evaporator 20 under the condition of closing the refrigerating chamber side capillary tube 18 and opening the freezing chamber side capillary tube 16 by controlling the three-way valve 14 at the end of the cooling operation due to the compressor 10 being turned off. Direction of the refrigerant.

This is because, under low temperature conditions of 18 ° C. or less, the heat load introduced from the outside to the refrigerating compartment is similar to the heat load flowing from the refrigerating compartment to the freezing compartment, so that cooling of the refrigerating compartment is almost unnecessary. This is to prevent overcooling of the refrigerating compartment by preventing the (high pressure) refrigerant from flowing through the refrigerating chamber side capillary tube 18 into the refrigerating compartment evaporator 22.

As a result of the determination, if the external temperature is not a low temperature condition, the control unit 36 controls the three-way valve 14 to open the refrigerating chamber side capillary tube 18 for the natural defrost at the end of the cooling operation due to the compressor 10 off. The refrigerant is sent toward the refrigerating chamber evaporator 22 under the condition of closing the capillary tube 16.

Therefore, even when the compressor 10 is turned off, the refrigerant in the condensation unit (high pressure) passes through the refrigerating chamber side capillary tube 18 and flows into the refrigerating chamber evaporator 22 at a temperature of -10 ° C to -15 ° C due to the pressure difference. Cooling is performed to perform natural defrosting operation.

As described above, according to the operation control method of the refrigerator according to the present invention, after the end of the cooling operation (after the compressor is turned off) in the low temperature conditions, the direction of the refrigerant is controlled toward the freezer compartment evaporator to prevent overcooling of the refrigerating compartment, By reducing the heating amount of the heater to prevent overcooling of the refrigerating chamber, it is possible to improve the constant temperature of the refrigerator and reduce power consumption.

What has been described above is only one embodiment for implementing the operation control method of the refrigerator according to the present invention, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, the general knowledge of the art within the technical idea of the present invention Of course, various modifications are possible by those who have.

Claims (5)

A control method of a refrigerator having a plurality of storage chambers, a plurality of evaporators and capillary tubes corresponding to the plurality of storage chambers, and a refrigerant direction control device for controlling a direction of the refrigerant flowing through the plurality of storage chambers, Determining whether the plurality of storage compartment temperatures have reached a set temperature according to a compressor operation; Determining whether a low temperature condition is detected by sensing an external temperature after the compressor is turned off when the plurality of storage chamber temperatures reach a set temperature; And If the external temperature is a low temperature condition to prevent the refrigerating compartment subcooling by introducing a refrigerant into the freezer compartment evaporator of the plurality of evaporators Operation control method of the refrigerator comprising a. The method of claim 1, Preventing the refrigerator compartment subcooling, And controlling the refrigerant to flow into the freezing chamber evaporator by opening the freezing chamber side capillary tube among the plurality of capillary tubes through the control of the refrigerant direction control device. The method of claim 1, If the external temperature is not a low temperature condition further comprises the step of introducing a refrigerant into the refrigerating chamber evaporator of the plurality of evaporators to perform a natural defrosting. The method of claim 3, wherein Performing the natural defrosting, And controlling the refrigerant to flow into the refrigerator compartment evaporator by opening the refrigerator compartment side capillary tube among the plurality of capillaries through the control of the refrigerant direction controller. The method of claim 1, The refrigerant direction control device is a three-way valve, a four-way valve, the operation control method of the refrigerator, characterized in that at least one of the plurality of on / off valves.

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