RU2811009C2 - Vacuum adiabatic element, refrigerator and method for manufacturing the refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: refrigerators.

SUBSTANCE: vacuum adiabatic element comprises a first plate, a second plate, a seal, a support, a thin pipe configured to connect an opening of the first plate to an opening of the second plate, an adiabatic material having an elongated portion located inside the thin pipe to perform adiabatic work on the thin pipe, and an upper a portion located at the end of the elongated portion, capable of being disposed on at least one side of the first plate and the second plate, and a through-duct extending through the interior of the adiabatic material to allow passage of material between the first region and the second region. The refrigerator includes a main body, a door, an evaporator for generating cold air, a drain device containing a thin pipe within which a drain pipe is located, and an adiabatic material having an elongated portion extending along the drain pipe. A connecting structure is formed on at least one side of the thin pipe, one side of the thin pipe is secured to one of the plates, and the other side of the thin pipe is secured to the other of the plates.

EFFECT: reliability of the vacuum adiabatic element is increased and the heat losses of the refrigerator are reduced.

20 cl, 19 dwg

Description

Field of technology to which the invention relates

The present disclosure relates to a vacuum adiabatic element, a refrigerator, and a method for manufacturing a refrigerator.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A vacuum adiabatic element is a product for preventing heat transfer by vacuuming the inside of its main body. Vacuum adiabatic element can reduce heat transfer through convection and conduction and hence is used in heating devices and refrigeration devices. The conventional adiabatic method applied to a refrigerator, although it is used in different ways for cooling and freezing, generally uses a urethane foam adiabatic wall having a thickness of about 30 cm or more. However, the internal volume of the refrigerator is consequently reduced.

To increase the internal volume of the refrigerator, an attempt was made to use a vacuum adiabatic element in the refrigerator.

First of all, Korean patent no. 10-0343719 (reference document 1) of the present applicant. According to Reference Document 1, a method is disclosed by which a vacuum adiabatic panel is created and then built into the walls of a refrigerator, and the outer side of the vacuum adiabatic panel is finished with a separate shaped material in the form of polystyrene foam. According to the method, additional foaming is not required and the adiabatic efficiency of the refrigerator is increased. However, the production cost is increased and the production method is complex.

As another example, a method for making walls using a vacuum adiabatic material and, further, making walls using a foaming material has been disclosed in Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2015-0012712 (Reference Document 2). According to Reference Document 2, the production cost is increased and the production method is complicated.

As another example, an attempt has been made to manufacture all the walls of a refrigerator using a vacuum adiabatic element, which is a single product. For example, a method for creating an adiabatic refrigerator structure that must be in a vacuum state was disclosed in U.S. Patent Laid-Open No. US2040226956A1 (Ref. 3). However, it is difficult to obtain a practical level of adiabatic effect by creating a refrigerator wall with sufficient vacuum. More specifically, there are limitations in that it is difficult to prevent heat transfer at the contact portion between the outer case and the inner case having different temperatures, it is difficult to maintain a stable vacuum state, and it is difficult to prevent deformation of the case due to the negative pressure of the vacuum state. Due to these limitations, the method disclosed in reference document 3 is limited to a cryogenic refrigeration machine and does not provide the level of a method used in ordinary households.

Alternatively, the present applicant has applied for Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2017-0016187 (Reference Document 4), which discloses a vacuum adiabatic element and a refrigerator. According to the present disclosure, both the door and the main body of the refrigerator are formed as a vacuum adiabatic element, and a large adiabatic material is added to the edge of the door to prevent cold air from leaking away from the edge of the main body and the door. However, there is a limitation in that manufacturing is complex and the internal volume of the refrigerator is greatly reduced.

The evaporator is located in the refrigerator, and a thick layer of frost forms on the evaporator according to the cumulative use of the evaporator. Since evaporator frost negatively affects the performance of the evaporator, it is periodically melted and removed. Here, removing frost from the evaporator is called defrosting process. The melt water generated during the defrosting operation is discharged to the outside of the refrigerator.

US Patent No. US9863689B2 (Reference Document 5) has been proposed as a method for releasing melt water onto the outside of a refrigerator. In reference document 5, a hose for discharging melt water and a valve for opening and closing the hose are located on the outside of the refrigerator. The hose passes through the adiabatic foam and is then directed to the outside.

The methods of reference document 5 can be applied to the case of a refrigerator using foam. Specifically, a refrigerator using foam uses an adiabatic section having a thickness of several tens of centimeters. On the other hand, when a vacuum adiabatic element is used in a refrigerator, an adiabatic portion with a thickness of only a few tens of millimeters is used, even if the adiabatic portion is thick. In addition, there are many differences between using foam and using a vacuum adiabatic element, such as the degree of vacuum and differences in materials.

Due to this structural difference, in the case of a refrigerator using a vacuum adiabatic element, there is a limitation that a large amount of cold air is lost through the gap between the melt water outlet structures as a result of the small thickness.

In the case of a refrigerator using a vacuum adiabatic element, there is a limitation in that the cooling loss due to thermal conduction between portions is large since the vacuum is provided by the metal connecting element and their welding.

In a refrigerator using a vacuum adiabatic housing, due to its small thickness, a large amount of cold air penetrates. In this case, there is a limitation that the malfunction occurs due to the freezing of melt water.

In the case of a refrigerator using a vacuum adiabatic element, the temperature change is large due to the metal structure, and dew generated around the metal structure due to the temperature change during the defrosting operation adversely affects the reliability of the product.

Disclosure

Technical problem

Embodiments describe a refrigerator that reduces the loss of cold air through a thin gap passing through a vacuum adiabatic element.

Embodiments also describe a refrigerator in which cooling loss due to thermal conduction between regions is reduced due to the high thermal conductivity of the metal structure forming the vacuum adiabatic element.

Embodiments also describe a refrigerator in which melt water, due to the small thickness of the vacuum adiabatic element, is prevented from freezing to prevent damage to the product.

Embodiments also describe a refrigerator in which dew is prevented from forming around a metal structure due to temperature changes during a defrosting operation of the refrigerator to improve product reliability.

Technical solution

In one embodiment, the vacuum adiabatic element includes a thin pipe configured to connect an opening of the first plate to an opening of the second plate, the thin pipe configured to form at least a portion of the wall of a third region of the plate, and an adiabatic material having an elongated portion located inside the thin pipe to perform adiabatic work on the thin pipe, and an upper part located at the end of the elongated part on at least one side of the first plate and the second plate, wherein melt water passes through the interior of the adiabatic material.

A through-duct passing through the interior of the adiabatic material to allow material to pass between the first region and the second region may be further positioned to allow melt water to pass without freezing.

The top portion may prevent the plates from opening into the area formed by each of the plates to prevent thermal conduction from occurring between the top portion and the plates.

The thin pipe may be a corrugated pipe, and the corrugated pipe may have a cross-section including two vertical portions, two horizontal portions, and a rounded projecting intermediate portion between the two vertical portions and the two horizontal portions. Thus, the amount of heat conduction transfer can be reduced by using an inexpensive part that is capable of mass production to reduce the price of an adiabatic product using a vacuum adiabatic element.

The first region may have a low temperature compared to the second region, the top portion may be located on a side of the first plate, and the top portion may be configured to block the opening of an adjacent opening portion of the first plate into the first region to impede convective cooling of the adjacent opening portion of the first plate. In this way, the loss of cold air from the low temperature region of the first plate side can be reduced. At the same time, the upper part may not be located on the side of the second plate to ensure heat transfer from the high-temperature side, thereby preventing damage to the product by melt water and moisture in its peripheral area.

The pipe can be connected to one side of a thin pipe to provide equipment that is suitable for mass production and application of the product.

The guide plate can be connected to one or both sides of the thin pipe, so that the connection and assembly of the guide plate is more simple. However, when the hole of the plate corresponding to one side of the thin pipe to which the guide plate is connected is larger than the hole of the other plate, it may be easier for the worker to install the melt water drainage device. Alternatively, it may be possible to extend the life of the product by preventing product failure and eliminating the occurrence of stress.

In another embodiment, the refrigerator includes a drain device located in the main body for discharging melt water generated in the evaporator to the outside of the housing area, the drain device including a thin pipe, a drain pipe located in the thin discharge pipe melt water, and an adiabatic material having an elongated portion extending through the drain pipe to block heat transfer between the drain pipe and the thin pipe, and an upper portion located on only one side of both sides of the elongated portion that is adjacent to the placement area. Since the top part is located on one side only, the convection work in both directions can be balanced, and thermal equilibrium can be achieved in the elongated part. The cooling of melt water and moisture in the peripheral area can be eliminated, and leakage heat can be reduced.

The top portion can block convection cooling between the housing region and the wall surface of the housing region since the housing region is in close contact with the wall surface. In this way, cooling leakage due to convective transfer can be prevented.

Convection heating of the thin pipe can be provided on the other side of the elongated part, which is far from the placement area. In this way, the external heat can be used as heat to dissolve the melt water.

The main body may use a vacuum adiabatic element, and the thin pipe may include a protruding intermediate portion to increase the thermal conduction distance, thereby reducing the thermal conductivity between the plates. In this way, it is possible to reduce the amount of heat transfer by conduction passing to the inside and outside of the vacuum adiabatic element.

The thin pipe may include a main body including at least two protruding intermediate portions and a connecting portion connected to each of the plates at an end of the main body to increase the distance for heat transfer by conduction.

In yet another embodiment, a method of manufacturing a refrigerator including a vacuum adiabatic element that includes a thin pipe and is used as a main body includes providing a connecting structure on at least one side of the thin pipe, securing one side of the thin pipe pipe on one of the plates, and securing the other side of the thin pipe to the other of the plates. Thus, the portion extending through the vacuum adiabatic element can be conveniently installed in the refrigerator without being damaged.

The guide plate can be connected to the other side of the thin pipe to more conveniently insert the section into the vacuum adiabatic element.

The hole of the plate corresponding to the other side of the thin pipe may be larger than the hole of the plate corresponding to one side of the thin pipe, so that the portion is more easily inserted on one side.

The guide plate may have an outer diameter larger than the hole diameter of the plate corresponding to the other side of the thin pipe to ensure engagement of the guide plate.

The thin pipe may include a main body having a plurality of corrugations, and the connecting structure may be a pipe connected to both ends of the main body. Thus, a site that is capable of mass production can be used inexpensively.

Before the other side of the thin pipe and the other one of the plates are connected to each other, a pair of plates can be connected to each other. Thus, this may have the advantage of smoothing the supply and consumption of parts and the sequence of operations of manufacturing areas.

Once one side of the thin tube is secured to one of the plates, the pair of plates can be connected to each other. Thus, this may have the advantage of smoothing the supply and consumption of parts and the sequence of operations of manufacturing areas.

Positive results

According to an embodiment, it may be possible to reduce the convective heat loss passing through the melt water outlet structure formed in the form of a thin wall.

According to an embodiment, cooling losses due to thermal conductivity between sections due to the high thermal conductivity of the metal structure forming the vacuum adiabatic element can be reduced.

According to an embodiment, it may be possible to prevent freezing that may occur in the narrow defrosting water outlet channel by allowing cold air to penetrate, thereby preventing damage to the product.

According to an embodiment, it may be possible to prevent dew from occurring around a metal structure due to a change in temperature during a defrosting operation of the refrigerator, and improve the reliability of the product, and prevent failure of the product due to freezing of the generated dew.

Description of drawings

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator according to an embodiment; FIG.

Fig. 2 is a schematic view of a vacuum adiabatic element used in the main body and door of the refrigerator;

FIG. 3 is a view showing the internal structure of a vacuum space according to various embodiments; FIG.

FIG. 4 is a view showing a conduction-inhibiting sheet and a peripheral portion thereof according to various embodiments; FIG.

FIG. 5 are curves showing the change in adiabatic efficiency and the change in gas conductivity in accordance with vacuum through the use of simulation modeling; FIG.

FIG. 6 are curves showing results obtained by observing, as a function of time and pressure, the process of creating a vacuum in the interior of a vacuum adiabatic element when using a support; FIG.

Fig. 7 are curves showing the results obtained by comparing vacuum with gas conductivity;

Fig.8 is a perspective view of the inside of the refrigerator;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a drainage device in accordance with an embodiment; FIG.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view of the drainage device;

11 to 13 are views for explaining the effect of the adiabatic corrugated pipe material according to the embodiment, wherein FIG. 11 is a view comparing the case in which the top portion is located at one end of the adiabatic corrugated pipe material with the case in which the top portion is located at both ends of the adiabatic corrugated pipe material according to the embodiment, FIG. 12 is a view showing the heat flow due to thermal conduction between the plates, and FIG. 13 is a view comparing the temperature change for drain points according to the adiabatic way;

FIG. 14 is a sectional view of a drainage device in accordance with another embodiment; FIG.

FIG. 15 is a view showing the connection of a corrugated conduction-inhibiting sheet and a pipe; FIG.

FIG. 16 is a flow chart for explaining a manufacturing method of a refrigerator according to another embodiment; FIG.

FIG. 17 is a view showing a corrugated pipe and a portion connected to each of both ends of the corrugated pipe according to another embodiment; FIG.

FIG. 18 is a sectional view of a drainage device in accordance with another embodiment; FIG.

FIG. 19 is a flowchart for explaining a manufacturing method of a refrigerator according to yet another embodiment.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

Exemplary embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the invention can be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein, and other embodiments included within the scope of the same idea can easily be implemented by one skilled in the art who understands the spirit of the present invention. , by adding, modifying, deleting and adding elements, it will rather be understood that they are also included within the scope of the present invention.

The drawings shown below may be shown differently from the actual product, or exaggerated or simple or detailed features may be removed, but this is intended to facilitate understanding of the technical idea of the present invention. It should not be construed as limited. However, she will try to show the actual shape as much as possible.

The following embodiments may be applied to the description of another embodiment unless the other embodiment is inconsistent with each other, and some structures of any of the embodiments may be changed to a position in which only a specific portion changed in the other design can be applied.

In the following description, vacuum means any state of pressure below atmospheric pressure. In addition, an expression in which the vacuum degree A is higher than the vacuum degree B means that the vacuum A is lower than the vacuum B.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator according to an embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 1, the refrigerator 1 includes a main body 2 including an interior area 9 for storing food to be stored, and a door 3 configured to open/close the main body 2. The door 3 may be positioned to rotation or movement to open/close the inner area 9. The inner area 9 may include at least one of a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment.

Parts constituting a refrigeration cycle in which cold air is supplied to the inner region 9. Specifically, the parts include a compressor 4 for compressing the refrigerant, a condenser 5 for condensing the refrigerant, an expander 6 for expanding the condensed refrigerant, and an evaporator 7 for evaporating the expanded refrigerant. agent for heat transfer. As a typical design, a fan may be installed in a position adjacent to the evaporator 7, and the fluid supplied by the fan may pass through the evaporator 7 and then flow into the interior region 9. The freezing heat load is controlled by adjusting the blowing volume and the blowing direction of the fan, adjusting the amount of circulating refrigerant or adjusting the compression ratio of the compressor, so that the refrigerating area or freezing area can be controlled.

Fig. 2 is a schematic view of a vacuum adiabatic element used in the main body and door of a refrigerator. In FIG. 2, the main body side vacuum adiabatic member is shown in a position in which the top and side surface walls are removed, and the door side vacuum adiabatic member is shown in a position in which the front surface wall portion is removed. In addition, portions of portions of the conduction-inhibiting sheets are shown, which are schematically illustrated for ease of understanding.

As shown in FIG. 2, the vacuum adiabatic element includes a first plate 10 for forming a low-temperature region wall, a second plate 20 for forming a high-temperature region wall, a vacuum region 50 formed as a gap between the first and second plates 10 and 20. In addition, , the vacuum adiabatic element includes conduction-inhibiting sheets 60 and 63 for preventing thermal conduction between the first and second plates 10 and 20. The seal 61 for sealing the first and second plates 10 and 20 is arranged such that the vacuum region 50 is in a sealing state. When the vacuum adiabatic element is used in a refrigerator or oven, the first plate 10 may be referred to as the inner shell, and the second plate 20 may be referred to as the outer shell. The machine room 8 in which the parts forming the freezing cycle are located is located on the lower rear side of the vacuum adiabatic element on the main body side, and the outlet 40 for generating a vacuum state by releasing air from the vacuum region 50 is located on any one side of the vacuum adiabatic element . In addition, a channel 64 passing through the vacuum region 50 may be further provided to accommodate a melt water pipe and electrical wires.

The first plate 10 may define at least one wall portion for the first region. The second plate 20 may define at least one wall portion for the second region. The first region and the second region may be formed as regions having different temperatures. Here, the wall for each region may serve not only as a wall directly in contact with the region, but also as a wall not in contact with the region. For example, the vacuum adiabatic element of the embodiment may also be used for an article further having a separate wall contacting each area.

The heat transfer factors that cause the loss of adiabatic effect of the vacuum adiabatic element are thermal conductivity between the first and second plates 10 and 20, thermal radiation between the first and second plates 10 and 20, and electrical conductivity of the vacuum region gas 50.

Below we will describe a heat-impervious assembly designed to reduce adiabatic losses associated with heat transfer factors. However, the vacuum adiabatic element and the refrigerator of the embodiment do not exclude the fact that another adiabatic means is additionally installed on at least one side of the vacuum adiabatic element. Therefore, an adiabatic means using foaming or the like can be further installed on the other side of the vacuum adiabatic element.

FIG. 3 is a view showing the internal structure of a vacuum region according to various embodiments.

First of all, as shown in FIG. 3A, the vacuum region 50 is formed in a third region having a pressure different from the pressures of the first and second regions, preferably a vacuum state, thereby reducing adiabatic losses. The third region may be at a temperature between the temperature of the first region and the temperature of the second region. Since the third region is formed as a region in a vacuum state, the first and second plates 10 and 20 receive a compressive force in the direction in which they approach each other due to a force corresponding to the pressure difference between the first and second regions. Therefore, the vacuum region 50 may deform in a direction in which the vacuum region 50 decreases in volume. In this case, adiabatic losses may be caused due to an increase in the degree of thermal radiation caused by the narrowing of the vacuum region 50 and an increase in the degree of thermal conductivity caused by the contact between the plates 10 and 20.

The support 30 may be configured to reduce deformation of the vacuum region 50. The support 30 includes a rod 31. The rod 31 may extend in a substantially vertical direction relative to the plates to maintain a distance between the first plate and the second plate. The support plate 35 may be further located at at least any one end of the rod 31. The support plate 35 connects at least two or more rods 31 to each other to extend in a horizontal direction relative to the first and second plates 10 and 20. The support plate 35 may be in the form of a plate or may be in the form of a grid such that the area of the support plate in contact with the first or second plates 10 or 20 is reduced, thereby reducing heat transfer. The rods 31 and the support plate 35 are secured to each other in at least a portion for insertion together between the first and second plates 10 and 20. The support plate 35 contacts at least one of the first and second plates 10 and 20, such thus preventing deformation of the first and second plates 10 and 20. In addition, based on the running direction of the rods 31, the total cross-sectional area of the support plate 35 is made larger than the cross-sectional area of the rods 31, so that heat transferred through the rods 31 can be distributed through the support plate 35 .

The support 30 may be made of a polymer selected from polycarbonate, glass fiber polycarbonate, polycarbonate, polyphenylene sulfide and low outgassing liquid crystal polymer to obtain high compressive force, low outgassing and water absorption rate, low thermal conductivity, high compressive force at high temperature and excellent workability.

A radiation blocking sheet 32 will be described for reducing thermal radiation between the first and second plates 10 and 20 through the vacuum region 50. The first and second plates 10 and 20 may be made of a stainless material to prevent corrosion and provide sufficient strength. Since stainless steel material has a relatively high emissivity of 0.16, a large amount of heat can be transferred by radiation. In addition, the support 30, made of polymer, has low emissivity compared to the plates and is not completely located on the inner surfaces of the first and second plates 10 and 20. Thus, the support 30 does not have much effect on the radiant heat. Therefore, the radiation blocking sheet 32 can be formed into a plate shape over most of the area of the vacuum region 50 to help reduce radiation heat transferred between the first and second plates 10 and 20. An article having low emissivity can be used as the radiation blocking sheet material 32. In an embodiment, aluminum foil having an emissivity of 0.02 can be used as the radiation blocking sheet 32. Moreover, since radiative heat transfer cannot be sufficiently blocked by using one radiation blocking sheet, at least two blocking sheets radiation of the sheet 32 can be located at a specific distance without the possibility of contact with each other. In addition, at least one radiation blocking sheet may be positioned in contact with the inner surface of the first or second plate 10 or 20.

As shown in FIG. 3b, the distance between the plates is supported by the support 30, and the porous material 33 can be filled into the vacuum region 50. The porous material 33 can have a higher emissivity compared to the emissivity of the stainless material of the first and second plates 10 and 20. However, since the porous material 33 is filled in the vacuum region 50, the porous material 33 has high efficiency in preventing radiative heat transfer.

In this embodiment, the vacuum adiabatic element can be configured without the radiation blocking sheet 32.

As shown in FIG. 3c, the support 30 for supporting the vacuum area 50 is not installed. Instead of a support 30, the porous material 333 may be configured to be surrounded by a film 34. Here, the porous material 33 may be positioned in a state of compression so that the gap of the vacuum region is maintained. The film 34 is made of polyethylene, for example, and may be formed in a state in which a hole is formed in the film 34.

In this embodiment, the vacuum adiabatic element may be provided without the support 30. In other words, the porous material 33 may simultaneously serve as the radiation blocking sheet 32 and the function of the support 30.

FIG. 4 is a view showing a radiation blocking sheet and a peripheral portion thereof according to various embodiments. The structure of each of the conduction-inhibiting sheets is briefly shown in FIG. 2, but will be understood in detail with reference to the drawings.

First of all, the conduction-inhibiting sheet proposed in FIG. 4a can be used in the vacuum adiabatic element on the main body side. Specifically, the first and second plates 10 and 20 must be sealed to evacuate the interior of the vacuum adiabatic element. In this case, since the two plates have different temperatures from each other, heat transfer can occur between the two plates. The conduction-inhibiting sheet 60 is configured to prevent thermal conduction between two different types of plates.

The conduction-inhibiting sheet 60 may include a seal 61 on which both ends of the conduction-inhibiting sheet 60 are sealed to form at least a wall portion of the third region and maintain a vacuum state. The conduction-inhibiting sheet 60 may be configured as a micrometer-thin foil to reduce the amount of heat transferred along the wall to the third region. The seals 610 may be formed as a weld. That is, the conduction-inhibiting sheet 60 and the plates 10 and 20 can be fused to each other. To cause a fusion effect between the conduction-inhibiting sheet 60 and the plates 10 and 20, the conduction-inhibiting sheet 60 and the plates 10 and 20 may be made of the same material, and a stainless material may be used as such material. The seal 610 may not be limited to a weld and may be produced by a process such as sintering. The conduction-inhibiting sheet 60 may be formed in a curved shape. Thus, the thermal conductivity distance of the conduction inhibiting sheet 60 is greater than the linear distance of each of the plates, so that the thermal conductivity amount can be further reduced.

The temperature change occurs across the conduction-inhibiting sheet 60. Therefore, to block the transfer of heat to the outer side of the conduction-inhibiting sheet 60, the protective portion 62 may be located on the outer side of the conduction-inhibiting sheet 60 so that an adiabatic action occurs. In other words, in the case of a refrigerator, the second plate 20 has a high temperature and the first plate 10 has a low temperature. Moreover, heat conduction from high temperature to low temperature occurs in the conduction-inhibiting sheet 60, and thus, the temperature of the conduction-inhibiting sheet 60 changes suddenly. Therefore, when the conduction-inhibiting sheet 60 is open to its outer side, heat transfer through the open portion can actually occur. To reduce heat loss, the protective portion 62 is located on the outside of the conduction-inhibiting sheet 60. For example, when the conduction-inhibiting sheet 60 is exposed to any one of the low-temperature region and the high-temperature region, the conduction-inhibiting sheet 60 does not serve as a conduction-inhibiting sheet as well as opening it site, which is not preferred.

The protective portion 62 may be configured as a porous material in contact with the outer surface of the conductivity-inhibiting sheet 60. The protective portion 62 may be configured as an adiabatic structure, such as a separate spacer, that is located on the outer side of the conductivity-inhibiting sheet 60. The protective portion 62 may be be configured as a vacuum adiabatic member portion that is positioned at a position facing the corresponding conduction-inhibiting sheet 60 when the main body side vacuum adiabatic member is closed relative to the door-side vacuum adiabatic member. To reduce heat loss even when the main body and door are open, the protective shield 62 may be formed as a porous material or a separate adiabatic structure.

The conduction-inhibiting sheet proposed in FIG. 4b can be used in a door-side vacuum adiabatic element. In FIG. 4b, areas different from those in FIG. 4a are described in detail, and the same description is used for areas identical to those in FIG. 4a. The side frame 70 is further located on the outer side of the conduction-inhibiting sheet 60. A sealing portion between the door and the main body, an outlet required for the suction process, an absorber hole for maintaining vacuum, and the like may be located on the side frame 70. The reason is that that the installation of the parts is convenient in the main body side vacuum adiabatic member, but the installation positions of the parts are limited in the door side vacuum adiabatic member.

In the door-side vacuum adiabatic element, it is difficult to arrange the conduction-inhibiting sheet 60 at the front end of the vacuum region, that is, the edge side portion of the vacuum region. The reason is that, unlike the main body, the corner edge of the door is open to the outside. More specifically, if the conduction-inhibiting sheet 60 is located at the front end of the vacuum region, the corner edge of the door is open to the outer side, and therefore there is a disadvantage that the separate adiabatic portion must be configured to thermally insulate the conduction-inhibiting sheet 60.

The conduction-inhibiting sheet proposed in FIG. 4c can be installed in a pipeline passing through a vacuum region. In Figure 4c, areas different from those in Figures 4a and 4b are described in detail, and the same description is used for areas identical to those in Figures 4a and 4b. A conduction-inhibiting sheet having the same shape as that in FIG. 4a, preferably a corrugated conduction-inhibiting sheet 63, may be located at a peripheral portion of the conduit 64. Accordingly, the heat transfer path can be elongated, and deformation caused by the pressure difference can be prevented. In addition, the separate protective part may be configured to increase the adiabatic efficiency of the conduction-inhibiting sheet.

The heat transfer path between the first and second plates 10 and 20 will be described with reference to FIG. 4a. Heat passing through a vacuum adiabatic element can be divided into heat surface conductivity, heat transmitted along the surface of the vacuum adiabatic element, more specifically, the conduction-inhibiting sheet 60 conductivity of the support, heat transmitted through the support 30 located inside the vacuum adiabatic element gas conductivity transferred through the internal gas in the vacuum region, and heat transmission by radiation transmitted through the vacuum region.

Heat transfer may vary depending on different design dimensions. For example, the support can be changed such that the first and second plates 10 and 20 can withstand vacuum without deformation, the vacuum can be changed, the distance between the plates 10 and 20 can be changed, and the length of the conduction-inhibiting sheet can be changed. The transfer heat may vary depending on the temperature difference between the regions (first and second regions) respectively formed by the plates. In an embodiment, a preferred vacuum adiabatic element design was determined by considering that the overall heat transfer value is less than the overall heat transfer value of a typical adiabatic structure formed by foaming polyurethane. In a conventional refrigerator incorporating an adiabatic structure formed by foaming polyurethane, the effective heat transfer coefficient can be expressed as 19.6 mW/mK.

By performing a relative analysis of the heat transfer amounts of the vacuum adiabatic element of the embodiment, the heat transfer amount due to heat gas conductivity may become minimal. For example, the amount of heat transfer due to heat The gas conductivity can be adjusted to be equal to or less than 4% of the total heat transfer value. The amount of heat transfer due to conduction heat of a solid, defined as the sum of heat surface conductivity and heat conductivity of the support is the greatest. For example, the amount of heat transfer due to conduction heat of a solid body can reach 75% of the total amount of heat transfer. Heat transfer amount due to heat ③ transfer by radiation is less than the amount of heat transfer due to conduction heat of a solid, but greater than the amount of heat transfer due to conduction heat of a gas. For example, the amount of heat transfer due to heat Radiation transfer can account for about 20% of the total heat transfer.

According to this heat transfer distribution, the effective heat transfer coefficients (eK: effective K) (W/mK) heat surface conductivity, heat support conductivity, heat conductivity of gas and heat transfers by radiation can be of the order of mathematical equation 1 when comparing heat , , And transfers.

[Equation 1]

eK _{conduction heat of a solid} > eK _{heat transfer by radiation} > eK _{conduction heat of gas}

Here, the effective heat transfer coefficient (eK) is a value that can be measured using the shape and temperature differences of the target product. The effective heat transfer coefficient (eK) is a value that can be obtained by measuring the total heat transfer amount and the temperature at at least one area to which heat is transferred. For example, the heating value (W) is measured using the heating source, which can be quantified in the refrigerator, the door temperature distribution (K) is measured using the heat respectively transferred through the main body and the door edge of the refrigerator, and the path through which heat is transferred is calculated as the magnitude (m) of the conversion, thus determining the effective heat transfer coefficient.

The effective heat transfer coefficient (eK) of the entire vacuum adiabatic element is the value given by k=QL/AΔT. Here, Q stands for calorific value (W) and can be obtained using the calorific value of the heater. A means the cross-sectional area (m ² ) of the vacuum adiabatic element, L means the thickness (m) of the vacuum adiabatic element, and ΔT means the temperature difference.

For surface conduction heat, the conduction heating value can be obtained by the temperature difference ΔT between the inlet and outlet of the conduction-inhibiting sheet 60 or 63, the cross-sectional area A of the conduction-inhibiting sheet, the length L of the conduction-inhibiting sheet, and the thermal conductivity (k) of the conduction-inhibiting sheet (thermal conductivity of the conduction-inhibiting sheet sheet is a property of the material and can be obtained in advance). For the conduction heat of the support, the conduction heat value can be obtained from the temperature difference ΔT between the inlet and outlet of the support 30, the cross-sectional area A of the support, the length L of the support, and the thermal conductivity (k) of the support. Here, the thermal conductivity of the support is a property of the material and can be obtained in advance. Amount of heat conductivity of gas and heat radiation transfer can be obtained by subtracting the surface conduction heat and the support conduction heat from the heat transfer value of the entire vacuum adiabatic element. Heat ratio conductivity of gas and heat transmission by radiation can be obtained by determining the heat of transmission by radiation when there is no gas conduction heat by significantly reducing the degree of evacuation of the vacuum region 50.

When the porous material is located inside the vacuum region 50, heat conductivity of a porous material can be a sum of heat conductivity support and heat transmission by radiation. The conduction heat of the porous material may vary depending on various variables including the type, amount, and the like of the porous material.

According to an embodiment, the temperature difference ΔT ₁ between the geometric center formed by adjacent rods 31 and the point at which each of the rods 31 is located may be less than 0.5°C. Also, the temperature difference ΔT ₂ between the geometric center formed by adjacent rods 31 and the edge of the vacuum adiabatic element may be less than 0.5°C. In the second plate 20, the temperature difference between the average temperature of the second plate and the temperature at the point at which the heat transfer path passing through the conduction-inhibiting sheet 60 or 63 reaches the second plate may be greatest. For example, when the second region is a region hotter than the first region, the temperature at the point at which the heat transfer path passing through the conduction-obstructing sheet reaches the second plate becomes the smallest. Likewise, when the second region is a region colder than the first region, the temperature at the point at which the heat transfer path passing through the conduction-obstructing sheet reaches the second plate becomes highest.

This means that the amount of heat transferred through other points other than the surface conduction heat passing through the anti-conduction sheet must be adjusted, and the full amount of heat transfer corresponding to a vacuum adiabatic element can only be obtained when the surface conduction heat is at its greatest value. heat transfer. To this end, the temperature change of the conduction-inhibiting sheet can be adjusted to be greater than the temperature change of the plate.

The physical characteristics of the parts forming the vacuum adiabatic element will be described. In a vacuum adiabatic element, the force under the influence of vacuum is applied to all parts. Therefore, a material having a strength (N/m2) of a particular level can preferably be used.

Under such circumstances, the plates 10 and 20 and the side frame 70 can be made of a material having sufficient strength such that the plates 10 and 20 are not damaged even under the influence of a vacuum. For example, when the number of rods 31 is reduced to limit conduction heat of the support, deformation of each of the plates occurs due to vacuum, which may have a bad effect on the appearance of the refrigerator. The radiation blocking sheet 32 may be made of a material that has low emissivity and can be easily processed to a thin film. In addition, the radiation blocking sheet 32 must provide sufficient strength without deformation under external impact load. The support 30 has strength sufficient to support the vacuum force and withstand external shock loads, and must be machineable. The conduction-inhibiting sheet 60 may be made of a material that is shaped like a thin plate and can withstand a vacuum.

In an embodiment, the plate, side frame and conduction-inhibiting sheet may be made of stainless materials having the same strength. The radiation blocking sheet may be made of aluminum, which has less strength than either of the stainless materials. The support can be made of a polymer that has less strength than aluminum.

In contrast to strength in terms of materials, analysis in terms of stiffness is required. Stiffness (N/m) can be a property in which a material will not easily deform. Thus, although the same material is used, its stiffness may vary depending on its shape. The conduction-inhibiting sheets 60 or 63 may be made of a material having strength, but the stiffness of the material may be small to increase heat resistance and minimize radiant heat when the conduction-inhibiting sheet is distributed uniformly without unevenness when a vacuum is applied. The radiation blocking sheet 32 requires a specific level of rigidity without the possibility of contact with another part due to deformation. In particular, the edge of the radiation-preventing sheet may generate conduction heat due to the sinking caused by the self-load of the radiation-preventing sheet. Therefore, a specific level of rigidity is required. The support 30 requires sufficient rigidity to withstand the compressive stress of the plate and the external impact load.

In an embodiment, the plate and side frame may be highly rigid to prevent vacuum-induced deformation. The support, in particular the rod, may have the second highest stiffness. The radiation blocking sheet may have a stiffness that is less than the stiffness of the support, but greater than the stiffness of the conduction blocking sheet. The conductivity-inhibiting sheet may be made of a material that is easily deformed under vacuum and has the least rigidity.

Even when the porous material 33 is filled in the vacuum region 50, the conduction-inhibiting sheet may have the least rigidity, and each of the plates and the side frame may preferably have the greatest rigidity.

Below, vacuum can be defined depending on the internal states of the vacuum adiabatic element. As already described above, a vacuum must be maintained within the vacuum adiabatic element with the ability to reduce heat transfer. It is easy to expect that the vacuum is kept as low as possible to reduce heat transfer.

The vacuum region may impede heat transfer using only the support 30. Meanwhile, the porous material 33 may be filled with support within the vacuum region 50 to impede heat transfer. Heat transfer using porous material can be inhibited without the use of support.

A case in which only a support is used will be described.

5 are curves showing the change in adiabatic efficiency and the change in gas conductivity in accordance with vacuum through the use of simulation modeling.

As shown in FIG. 5, it can be seen that as the vacuum decreases, i.e., as the vacuum degree increases, the thermal load in the case of only the main body (curve 1) or in the case in which the main body and the door are connected together (curve 2), is reduced compared to the thermal load in the case of a conventional product made by foaming polyurethane, thus increasing the adiabatic efficiency. However, it can be seen that the degree of increase in adiabatic efficiency gradually decreases. It can also be seen that as the vacuum decreases, the conductivity of the gas (curve 3) decreases. However, it can be seen that although the vacuum decreases, the ratio at which the adiabatic efficiency and conductivity of the gas increase gradually decreases. Therefore, it is preferable to reduce the vacuum as much as possible. However, it takes a long time to obtain an excessive vacuum, and high costs are incurred due to the excessive use of the getter. In an embodiment, the optimal vacuum is proposed from the above-described point of view.

6 are curves illustrating the results obtained by observing, as a function of time and pressure, the process of evacuation of the interior of a vacuum adiabatic element using a support.

As shown in FIG. 6, to form a vacuum region 50, which must be in a vacuum state, gas from the vacuum region 50 is pumped out by a vacuum pump while evaporating the latent gas remaining in parts of the vacuum region 50 due to heating. However, if the vacuum reaches a specific level or higher, there is a point at which the vacuum level no longer increases (Δt ₁ ). The getter is then activated by disconnecting the vacuum region 50 from the vacuum pump and applying heat to the vacuum region 50 (Δt2). If the getter is activated, the pressure in the vacuum region 50 is reduced for a specific period of time, but then normalized to maintain a specific vacuum level. The vacuum that is maintained at a particular level after activation of the getter is approximately 1.8×10 ^-6 torr.

In an embodiment, the point at which the vacuum is substantially no longer reduced, even if the gas is pumped out by driving the vacuum pump, is set to the lowest limit of vacuum used in the vacuum adiabatic element, thereby establishing the minimum internal pressure of the vacuum region 50 at 1.8×10 ^-6 torr.

7 are curves showing results obtained by comparing vacuum with gas conductivity.

As shown in FIG. 7, the gas conductivity relative to vacuum as a function of the gap size in the vacuum region 50 was plotted as an effective heat transfer coefficient (eK) curve. The effective heat transfer coefficient (eK) was measured when the gap in the vacuum region 50 has three sizes of 2.76 mm, 6.5 mm and 12.5 mm. The gap in the vacuum region 50 is defined as follows. When the radiation blocking sheet 32 is inside the vacuum region 50, the gap is the distance between the radiation blocking sheet 32 and the plate adjacent thereto. When the radiation blocking sheet 32 is not inside the vacuum region 50, the gap is the distance between the first and second plates.

It can be seen that since the gap size is small at the point corresponding to the typical 0.0196 W/mK effective heat transfer coefficient that is calculated for an adiabatic polyurethane foam material, the vacuum is 2.65×10 ^-1 Torr even when The gap size is 2.76 mm. Here, it can be seen that the point at which the reduction in the adiabatic effect caused by the conduction heat of the gas is neutralized, even if the vacuum is reduced, is the point at which the vacuum is approximately 4.5×10 ^-3 torr. A vacuum of 4.5×10 ^-3 torr can be defined as the point at which the reduction in the adiabatic effect caused by the conduction heat of the gas is neutralized. Also, when the effective heat transfer coefficient is 0.1 W/mK, the vacuum is 1.2×10 ^-2 torr.

When the vacuum region 50 does not contain a support, but rather contains a porous material, the size of the gap varies from a few micrometers to several hundred micrometers. In this case, the amount of heat transfer by radiation is small due to the porous material, even when the vacuum is relatively high, that is, when the vacuum degree is low. Therefore, a suitable vacuum pump is used to regulate the vacuum. The vacuum suitable for a suitable vacuum pump is approximately 2.0×10 ^-4 torr. In addition, the vacuum at the point at which the reduction in the adiabatic effect caused by the conduction heat of the gas is neutralized is approximately 4.7×10 ^-2 torr. Additionally, the pressure at which the reduction of the adiabatic effect caused by gas conduction heat reaches the typical 0.0196 W/mK effective heat transfer coefficient is 730 torr.

When the support and the porous material are placed together in a vacuum region, a vacuum can be created and used that is midway between the vacuum when only the support is used and the vacuum when only the porous material is used. When only porous material is used, the lowest possible vacuum may be used.

The vacuum adiabatic element includes a first plate defining at least a wall portion for a first region and a second plate defining at least a wall portion for a second region and having a temperature different from the temperature of the first region. The first plate may include multiple layers. The second plate may include multiple layers

The vacuum adiabatic element may further include a seal configured to seal the first plate and the second plate to form a third region that is in a vacuum state and has a temperature between the temperature of the first region and the temperature of the second region.

When one of the first plate and the second plate is located in the inner region of the third region, the plate may be represented as an inner plate. When the other of the first plate and the second plate is located in the outer region of the third region, the plate may be represented as an outer plate. For example, the interior of the third region may be a refrigerator storage compartment. The outer region of the third region may be an outer region of the refrigerator.

The vacuum adiabatic element may further include a support that supports the third region.

The vacuum adiabatic element may further include a conduction-inhibiting sheet connecting the first plate to the second plate to reduce the amount of heat transferred between the first plate and the second plate.

At least a portion of the conduction-inhibiting sheet may be positioned to face the third region. The conduction-inhibiting sheet may be positioned between an edge of the first plate and an edge of the second plate. The conduction-inhibiting sheet may be positioned between a surface on which the first plate faces the first region and a surface on which the second plate faces the second region. The conduction-inhibiting sheet may be positioned between a side surface of the first plate and a side surface of the second plate.

At least the portion of the conduction-inhibiting sheet may extend in a direction that is substantially the same as the direction in which the first plate extends.

The thickness of the conduction-inhibiting sheet may be less than at least one of the first plate or the second plate. The more the thickness of the conduction-inhibiting sheet is reduced, the more the heat transfer between the first plate and the second plate can be reduced.

The more the thickness of the conduction-inhibiting sheet is reduced, the more difficult it may be to connect the conduction-inhibiting sheet between the first plate and the second plate.

One end of the conduction-inhibiting sheet may be configured to overlap at least a portion of the first plate. This is intended to form an area for connecting one end of the conduction-inhibiting sheet to the first plate. In this case, the connection method may include welding.

The other end of the conduction-inhibiting sheet may be configured to overlap at least a portion of the second plate. This is intended to form an area for connecting the other end of the conduction-inhibiting sheet to the second plate. In this case, the connection method may include welding.

As another embodiment of replacing the conduction-inhibiting sheet, it may be removed, and one of the first plate and the second plate may be thinner than the other. In this case, any thickness may be greater than the thickness of the conduction-inhibiting sheet. In this case, any length can be greater than the length of the conduction-inhibiting sheet. With this design, the increase in heat transfer can be reduced by removing the conduction-obstructing sheet. In addition, this structure can reduce the difficulty in connecting the first plate to the second plate.

At least a portion of the first plate and at least a portion of the second plate may be configured to overlap each other. This is intended to form an area for connecting the first plate to the second plate. An additional coating may be provided on any of the first plate and the second plate that is of a small thickness. This is intended to protect the thin plate.

The vacuum adiabatic element may further include an outlet for releasing gas from the vacuum region.

Next, the design for draining melt water will be briefly described.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the inside of the refrigerator. As shown in FIG. 8, the evaporator 7 is located inside the main body 2, and the refrigerant passing through the inside of the evaporator 7 is evaporated to supply cool air to the inside. The cold air generated in the evaporator 7 may be supplied to the freezing compartment and may be supplied to the refrigerating compartment separated from the freezing compartment by the vertical stand 300. The vertical stand may be called a baffle.

As the work of the evaporator 7 accumulates, frost accumulates on the outer surface of the evaporator 7, and when a certain amount of frost accumulates, a defrosting operation is performed to remove the frost.

The defrosting operation can be performed by applying heat to the frost, and the melt water removed by the heat can be collected in the tray 71 and then discharged to the outside.

A drain channel 72 is located on the wall of the main body 2, connecting the pan 71 to the outside. The main body 2 may be configured as a vacuum adiabatic element, and the drain passage 72 may be formed by opening the vacuum adiabatic element. A drain pipe 85 guiding melt water may pass through a drain channel 72.

Because the adiabatic wall of a vacuum adiabatic element is in a high vacuum state, it can be significantly thinner than the foamed adiabatic wall formed by conventional urethane foam. Likewise, the drain channel 72 is also made with a small thickness. However, it is necessary to reduce the loss of cold air that can be caused by conduction and tropical flow, and to prevent blockage of the channel due to freezing of melt water. In addition, it is preferable to reduce the occurrence of dew generated due to temperature changes in the peripheral portion, thereby increasing the reliability of the device.

Next, the configuration and operation of the structure forming a drainage device achieving the above-mentioned object will be described.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a part that forms a drainage device according to an embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 9, the melt water discharge device 72 includes a corrugated pipe 90 connecting the openings of the first and second plates 10 and 20 to each other to seal the third area, and an adiabatic corrugated pipe material 80 contacting the inner part of the corrugated pipe 90 and the first plate 10 inside the refrigerator. The adiabatic corrugated pipe material 80 may be formed as a separate article and inserted into the corrugated pipe in a press-fit manner. Therefore, it can be easily manufactured and installed. Adiabatic corrugated pipe material may be called adiabatic material for short.

The corrugated pipe 90 can be understood as a type of corrugated conduction-inhibiting sheet 63, but has the advantage that it can be mass produced due to the convenience of molding. The corrugated pipe 90 can also be called a thin film pipe, which is a pipe having a small thickness, simultaneously called a corrugated conduction-inhibiting sheet 63. The thin pipe can be made with a small thickness in order to prevent heat conduction. A thin pipe can inhibit thermal conduction by using a narrow thermal conduction region. The thin pipe may be positioned in a position where the corrugations are removed if it only interferes with conduction, but it is preferable that the corrugations be formed to extend the thermal conduction path. The configuration of the corrugated pipe and the corrugated conduction-inhibiting sheet can be clearly understood from the description of each of the sections.

The corrugated pipe 90 may be formed in a substantially cylindrical shape. The corrugated pipe 90 includes a cylindrical body 93 in which a plurality of corrugations are formed in an annular shape, one connecting portion 91 is connected to the first plate 10, and another connecting portion 92 is connected to the second plate 20. The connecting portions 91 and 92 serve to seal the third region. and can be connected to each respective portion by welding or the like.

The adiabatic corrugated pipe material 80 includes a top portion 81 contacting an interior surface of a first plate 10 that forms at least one wall of a first region within the refrigerator, and an elongate portion 82 extending from the top 81 to a second plate 20. and an opening 83 extending through the interior of each of the upper portion 81 and the elongated portion 82.

Although melt water is discharged through the opening 83 as an example, material that is not limited to melt water may be discharged from the inside of the refrigerator to the outside of the refrigerator. A drain pipe 85 can be inserted into the hole 83 to direct the melt water to the outside. When other materials or products are discharged through the drain pipe, the drain pipe may be called a through pipe, and the case in which a structure such as an electrical wire passes through the hole 83 can be sufficiently considered. However, a case in which the drain pipe passes through the opening 83 may be most preferably illustrated.

Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the drainage device.

As shown in FIG. 10, a corrugated pipe 90 connects the open portions of the first plate 10 and the second plate 20 to each other to seal the vacuum region. The adiabatic corrugated pipe material 80 is inserted into the corrugated pipe 90.

An elongated portion 82 of the adiabatic corrugated pipe material 80 may be placed between the inner surface of the corrugated pipe 90 and the downcomer 85 to block heat exchange between the corrugated pipe 90 and the downcomer 85.

An upper portion 81 of the adiabatic corrugated pipe material 80 may extend from the upper end of the elongated portion 82. The upper portion 81 may extend coaxially along the inner surface of the first plate 10. The upper portion 81 may be configured as a portion having a predetermined diameter and a predetermined thickness.

The top portion 81 may prevent the first plate 10 from opening into the first area. Thus, heat transfer by natural convection and forced convection from the cold air in the refrigerator to the first plate 10 can be blocked. In other words, the first plate 10 overlying the top portion 81 may have a temperature higher than the temperature of the gas in the refrigerator. Of course, this case may be limited in the case of a refrigerator.

However, it should be noted that the upper part 81 is located only on the first plate 10 and is not located on the second plate 20. Thus, the second plate 20 can perform natural convection and forced convection throughout the area relative to the gas outside the refrigerator. In other words, given the hole of each plate, the second plate 20 has convective heat exchange with all portions connected to the holes. On the other hand, the first plate 10 can exchange heat with the air in the refrigerator from a portion that is located at a predetermined distance from the opening, i.e., a point that extends from the top portion 81.

As a result, the distance for heat transfer by conduction from the inside to the outside of the refrigerator increases significantly. In other words, when viewed from the center of the first plate 10, the temperature is lowest at a point aligned with the outer edge of the top portion 81, and then the temperature may increase as it arrives. That is, the portion of the first plate 10 may function as a conduction-inhibiting portion that inhibits thermal conduction.

Of course, the location where the conduction resistance function is greatest in the drain 72 may be the corrugated pipe 90. However, the lack of loss of cold air in the corrugated pipe 9 can be supplemented by a method of blocking convection between the air inside the refrigerator and the plate using the top 81 .

On the other hand, the second plate 20 has convective heat exchange with the air outside the refrigerator in all areas connected to the openings. Thus, heat from outside the refrigerator can be supplied through the corrugated pipe 90 to a predetermined distance.

In this case, freezing of the melt water inside the drain pipe 85 can be prevented to prevent blocking of the drain pipe 85. Moreover, according to changes in the operating mode such as normal operation and defrosting operation, dew that may form on the periphery of the drain pipe 85 is corrugated pipe 90 and plates 10 and 20, can evaporate due to the given heat. In this way, damage to the product due to freezing dew can be prevented and deterioration of the product quality due to moisture can be prevented.

The main body 93 of the corrugated pipe 90 contains a plurality of corrugations. The corrugations are designed to prevent the loss of cold air by increasing the thermal conduction length between the plates 10 and 20. Like the corrugated conduction inhibiting sheet 63, the thickness can be reduced to reduce the amount of conduction heat transfer, and also the amount of conduction heat transfer can be further reduced by using the corrugations.

The corrugated corrugated pipe assembly 90 may include two vertical sections 95 and 98, two horizontal sections 96 and 97, and a protruding intermediate section 94 located between them. The protruding intermediate portion 94 is shaped to connect the horizontal portions 96 and 97 to each other in a rounded manner, and may be made greater than the width of each of the horizontal portions 96 and 97.

According to the above-mentioned shape, when only the vertical portions 95 and 98 are formed, the protruding intermediate portion 94 can increase the path of cold air and heat that flow through the corrugated pipe, compared with the case in which only the vertical portions 95 and 98 and the horizontal portions are formed. 96 and 97. In other words, the effect of further reducing the amount of heat transfer due to heat transfer by conduction can be obtained.

In this case, the values of vertical and horizontal (the horizontal plane and the vertical plane are the same) refer to two passing directions intersecting each other, and not just to the orthogonal direction.

The adiabatic material 80 for corrugated pipe may be treated with a foaming material, a resilient material, a soft material, a sealing material, an intermediate or mixed material, or by adding a seal. Thus, the contact surface between the corrugated pipe 90 and the elongated portion 82, the contact surface between the drain pipe 854 and the elongated portion 82, and the contact surface between the top portion 81 and the first plate 10 can be completely sealed. Thus, convective cooling due to natural convection and forced convection through contact surfaces between areas can be blocked.

11 to 13 are views for explaining the effect of the adiabatic corrugated pipe material according to the embodiment, wherein FIG. 11 is a view comparing the case in which the top is located at one end of the adiabatic corrugated pipe material with the case in which the top portion is located at both ends of the adiabatic corrugated pipe material according to the embodiment, FIG. 12 is a view illustrating conduction heat flow between the plates, and FIG. 13 is a view comparing the temperature change for drain points according to the adiabatic method .

As shown in FIG. 11, in contrast to case (a) according to the embodiment, case (b) is shown in which the top portion 82 is located at each of both ends of the adiabatic corrugated pipe material.

As shown in Fig. 12, three paths along which cold air flows are shown. In detail, it has been divided into three path(), i.e., path inside the refrigerator, path vacuum area and path outside the refrigerator. On a way vacuum region, since the influence of conduction resistance due to the corrugated pipe and the adiabatic material for the corrugated pipe is large, a relatively low heat transfer state can be maintained.

Fig. 13 are curves showing temperature changes according to four cases.

The cases are divided with reference to Fig. 13. The case of an adiabatic wall using thick foam is called a. The case in which only the corrugated pipe 90 is used is called b. The case in which the corrugated pipe 90 and the adiabatic corrugated pipe material 80 according to the embodiment (referring to case a in FIG. 11) is used is called c. The case in which the corrugated pipe 90 and the adiabatic corrugated pipe material having a top at both ends is used (referring to case b in FIG. 11) is called d.

Along the length of the horizontal axis of the curves in Fig. 13, the path The vacuum area can be set to 50 mm in the case of foam and 20 mm in the case of a vacuum adiabatic element.

Temperature curves will be described according to each case.

In the case of (a) adiabatic wall using foam, the conduction path distance and temperature change are proportional to each other. In case (b) using only the corrugated pipe, although the loss of cold air is reduced due to the adiabatic effect of the corrugated pipe itself, it can be observed that the loss of cold air is greater than in the other two cases.

In the case of (c) embodiment, compared with case (d), in which the corrugated pipe 90 and the adiabatic corrugated pipe material having top portions at both ends are used, loss of cold air occurs. However, since on the way The vacuum area is maintained at a high temperature, cooling of the melt water can be prevented. In other words, convective heating of the plate in contact with the corrugated pipe on the outside can be allowed to prevent the melt water from cooling.

Moreover, in the case of (c) embodiment, the loss of cold air can be reduced due to low thermal conductivity when compared with the case (b) in which only the corrugated pipe is used.

As a result, an operation in which a specific amount of heat is absorbed from the heat inside the refrigerator to the drainage device 72 to prevent the melt water from freezing, and an operation in which the upper part 81 is formed on the adiabatic corrugated pipe material 80 only inside the refrigerator to prevent the occurrence of loss of cold air inside refrigerator, can be performed simultaneously.

Next, another example of how to secure the drainage device will be described.

The content described with reference to FIGS. 8-13 applies to the following embodiments, but it is intended that the description of the other embodiments below apply previously to portions that are not used.

FIG. 14 is a sectional view of a drainage device according to another embodiment, and FIG. 15 is a view showing the connection of a corrugated conduction-inhibiting sheet and a pipe.

In FIGS. 14 and 15, the drain pipe 85 and the adiabatic corrugated pipe material 80 are omitted, but can be included in the same manner as in the original embodiment.

As shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, a corrugated conduction-inhibiting sheet 63 is located inside each of the plates 10 and 20 in a vacuum region. The maximum diameter L2 of the corrugated conduction-inhibiting sheet 63 is larger than the hole of each of the plates 10 and 20. The corrugated conduction-inhibiting sheet 63 cannot move within the vacuum region.

When compared with the corrugated pipe 90, the maximum diameter of the corrugated conduction-inhibiting sheet 63 is significantly larger. Thus, the corrugated conduction-inhibiting sheet 63 may be customized using welding or the like between sections, and as a result, a high production cost may be required.

One side pipe 101 may be connected to one side of the corrugated conduction barrier sheet 63, and another side pipe 102 may be connected to the other side of the corrugated conduction barrier sheet 63. The maximum diameter L2 of the corrugated conduction barrier sheet 63 is significantly larger than the diameter L1 of each of one side tube 101 and another side pipe 102. Here, the pipe may be configured to connect a corrugated pipe and may be called a thin pipe connecting structure. When the thin pipe has a separate connecting structure, a separate connecting structure such as a pipe may not be required.

A support plate 35 and a rod 31 may be located within the vacuum region to form a support 30.

The adiabatic material 80 for the corrugated pipe can be arranged inside the corrugated conduction-inhibiting sheet 63 and on the inner surface of the first plate 10 similar to the original embodiment, and thus convective heat transfer can be reduced.

FIG. 16 is a flow chart showing a method for manufacturing a refrigerator according to another embodiment, focusing on, but not limited to, a method for manufacturing a melt water drainage device. That is, it refers to the method of installing all pipelines passing through a vacuum adiabatic housing.

As shown in FIG. 16, processes (S1 to S3) of preparing the support 30 and plates 10 and 20 located inside the vacuum region as the first process, and a process (S4) of connecting the corrugated conduction-inhibiting sheet 63 to the pipes 101 and 102 are performed. as a second process.

The first process will be described.

First, the support plate 35 located on one side is mounted on the plates 10 and 20 located on the same side (S1). In this case, one side and the other side mean any of the areas that can be located in pairs and have no direction. The same applies to the following.

The radiation blocking sheet 32 is mounted on one side support plate 35 (S2). The radiation blocking sheet 32 may be positioned on one side support plate 35 to be secured without moving.

Thereafter, another side support plate 35 may be positioned to correspond to one side support plate 35. One side support plate and another side support plate may be understood to refer to portions corresponding to the inner surfaces of the first and second plates, respectively.

In the second process, one side pipe 101 and the other side pipe 102 may be connected to both open ends of the corrugated conduction-inhibiting sheet 63 (S4). When this process is completed, the corrugated assembly in which the pipe and the corrugated conduction-inhibiting sheet are formed as one piece can be formed.

After this, a third process is performed in which the two sections are made as one unit.

First, the bellows assembly can be installed and inserted into the through hole of one side plate (S10). The through hole of one side plate may have a diameter such that the pipe 101 is inserted and may be installed before, but is not limited to, the location of the support plate (S1). Since the through hole of one side plate is smaller than the maximum diameter of the corrugated conduction-inhibiting sheet, it can be fixed in a position without being separated from the through hole.

Thereafter, the inserted one side pipe 101 can be connected to one side plate 10 (S11). Here, both portions may be metal portions and connected to each other by welding or the like.

Thereafter, the other side plate 20 is installed so that the other side pipe 102 is inserted into the through hole of the other side plate 20 (S12), and the other side pipe 102 and the other side plate 20 are connected to each other (S13).

Here, even in the process (S12) in which the other side pipe 102 is mounted on the other side plate 20, since the through hole of the other side plate is smaller than the maximum diameter of the corrugated conduction-inhibiting sheet, the corrugated conduction-inhibiting form can be fixed in a position without being separated from the through holes.

The connection (S11 - S13) between the pipes 101 and 102 and the plates 10 and 20 can be made in various ways.

For example, before the process (S11) of connecting one side pipe 101 to one side plate 10 by a method such as welding, in a position in which only one side pipe 101 and one side plate 10 are installed, another side pipe 102 and another side plate 20 (S12). Thereafter, the connection (S11) of one side pipe 101 and one side plate 10 and the connection (S13) of the other side pipe 102 and the other side plate 20 can be completed.

In addition, the joining of one side pipe 101 and one side plate 10 and the joining of the other side pipe 102 and the other side plate 20, that is, the two joining processes may be carried out simultaneously or may be carried out separately.

The corrugated conduction-inhibiting sheet 63 having a pipe in the pair of plates 10 and 20 can be accurately positioned using the above-described processes.

Thereafter, the pair of plates 10 and 20 are sealed against each other (S14) and air can be removed to form an internal vacuum region (S15).

In the above embodiment, if there is a built-in projection sufficient to overlap the plate at the end of the corrugated conductive sheet, the pipes 101 and 102 may not be used as separate members, but may be secured in position relative to the plates. However, to deform the shape sufficiently to change the maximum diameter and minimum diameter of the corrugated conduction-inhibiting sheet, a separate pipe may be used due to the complexity of processing.

Next, another embodiment will be described, which mainly considers the requirement of securing the drainage device. The content described with reference to FIGS. 8-13 is applicable to the following embodiments, but it is intended that the description of the other embodiments below apply previously to portions that are not used.

FIG. 17 is a view showing a corrugated pipe and a portion connected to each of both ends of the corrugated pipe according to another embodiment, and FIG. 18 is a sectional view of a drainage device according to another embodiment.

In fig. 17 and 18, the drain pipe 85 and the adiabatic corrugated pipe material 80 are omitted, but it can be assumed that they are included in the same manner as in the original embodiment.

As shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, the guide plate 111 may be connected to one side of the corrugated pipe 90, and the other side pipe 102 may be connected to the other side of the corrugated pipe 90.

As can be clearly understood from the above description, the corrugated pipe 90 can be configured with a maximum diameter smaller than the diameter of the corrugated conduction-inhibiting sheet 63. As a result, the corrugated pipe 90 can be more conveniently and easily mounted on the vacuum adiabatic element.

The structure of the draining device according to yet another embodiment will be described in detail.

One side of the corrugated pipe 90 may be connected to the first plate 10, and the other side of the corrugated pipe 90 may be connected to the second plate 10. One side of the corrugated pipe 90 may be indirectly connected to the first plate 10 at a position in which the guide plate 111 is connected. The other side of the corrugated pipe 90 may be connected directly or indirectly to the second plate 20 in a position in which the other side pipe 102 is connected.

The through holes of the first plate and the through holes of the second plate may have different diameters. The reason is that it is difficult to adjust the size for aligning two through holes during the manufacturing process of the product. In other words, no matter how accurate the position is, the quality of the product may suffer because misalignment occurs in the two through holes, although the diameter is small.

To prevent this phenomenon, according to yet another embodiment, the through hole of the first plate 10 may be larger than the through hole of the second plate 20. When two plates 10 and 20 are aligned vertically, the through hole area of the first plate 10 includes the entire through hole area second plate 20.

Accordingly, even if the position is slightly distorted after the plates 10 and 20 are manufactured, the guide plate 111 can cover the through hole of the first plate 10 at the position in which the corrugated pipe 90 is installed on the second plate 20. Thus, there is no problem in installing the corrugated pipe 90 and sealing vacuum area.

To achieve the above-described structure and operation, the diameter of each portion forming the drainage device may have the following relationship.

First, the outer diameter L6 of the guide plate 111 may be formed larger than the diameter L7 of the through hole of the first plate 10. Accordingly, the guide plate 111 can provide a seal between the plates.

The through hole diameter L7 of the first plate 10 may be formed greater than or equal to the maximum diameter L4 of the corrugated pipe. Accordingly, the corrugated pipe 90 can be installed in the vacuum region at the position where the plates 10 and 20 are connected. Of course, the through hole diameter L7 of the first plate 10 can be formed with the same maximum corrugated pipe diameter L4. However, due to the convenience of manufacture and the characteristics of the portion made of metal, the through hole diameter L7 of the first plate 10 may be slightly larger than the maximum diameter L4 of the corrugated pipe.

The inner diameter L8 of the guide plate 111 may be smaller than the maximum diameter L4 of the corrugated pipe and larger than the diameter L3 of the end of the corrugated pipe 90. Accordingly, the guide plate 111 may be supported by engagement with the end of the corrugated pipe. In this case, the diameter of the end of the corrugated pipe can be called its outer diameter.

The diameter L3 of the end of the corrugated pipe 90 can be formed equal to or larger than the diameter L5 of the other side pipe 102. Accordingly, the connection of the corrugated pipe and the other side pipe can be easily accomplished.

The through hole diameter L9 of the second plate can be made larger than each of the end diameter L3 of the corrugated pipe and the diameter of the other side pipe 102. Accordingly, the corrugated pipe 90 can be connected to the second plate 20. Of course, for reliable welding between sections in the future, the through hole diameter L9 the second plate can be formed smaller than the maximum diameter L4 of the corrugated pipe. Accordingly, the convenience of sealing can be improved. In addition, the diameter L9 of the through hole of the second plate is not formed too large, so that the distance between both portions is reduced as much as possible. Accordingly, it is desirable to improve the reliability of the sealing operation by welding or the like.

On the other hand, for example, the location to which the other side pipe 102 is connected may be a second plate 20 of the first and second plates 10 and 20, that is, a plate forming at least a portion of a wall in a region inside the refrigerator. The reason is that it is preferable to direct the outlet of the drain pipe to a predetermined length and eliminate the additional protruding pipe since the area inside the refrigerator is narrow.

Without being limited to this, the other side pipe 102 may be installed inside the refrigerator, that is, on the first plate 10. In this case, the increase in cold air transmission into the corrugated pipe that occurs when the guide plate 111 is installed inside the refrigerator can be prevented. In other words, when the guide plate 111 is installed inside the refrigerator, the thickness of the portion that is thermally conductive as much as the guide plate 111 may increase in thickness at a location that is aligned vertically with the top portion 81 of the adiabatic corrugated pipe material.

In this case, there is a disadvantage that the reduction in cold air loss due to convective heat transfer that can be obtained by the adiabatic corrugated pipe material top 81 can be reduced, but when the guide plate is made thin, it can be ignored since the possibility of conductivity of cold air.

FIG. 19 is a flow chart showing a method for manufacturing a refrigerator according to another embodiment, which focuses on, but is not limited to, a method for manufacturing a melt water drain. That is, it refers to the method of arrangement of all pipelines passing through the vacuum adiabatic element.

As shown in FIG. 19, as a first process, the guide plate 111 and the other side pipe 102 are connected to the corrugated pipe 90 (S21), and as a second process, at the position in which the vacuum region portions such as the support 30 and the like, a process of joining the plates 10 and 20 is performed (S22). The corrugated pipe assembly is made as a product of the first process.

The first process and the second process may be executed at different times in different places like another embodiment.

The corrugated pipe assembly can be inserted into the through hole of the plate (S30). When inserting the corrugated pipe assembly into the through hole of each of the plates 10 and 20, the other side pipe 102 may be inserted first into the first plate 10 (S30). Insertion of the corrugated pipe assembly can be performed until the guide plate 111 is engaged and supported on the inner surface of the first plate 10. Since the through hole of the first plate 10 is larger than the corrugated pipe, the corrugated pipe assembly can be easily inserted.

In the position in which the guide plate 111 is installed on the first plate 10, preferably, the through hole of the second plate 20 may coincide with the center of the other side pipe 102. On the other hand, the center of the guide plate 111 and the center of the through hole of the first plate 10 may not coincide with each other. friend. However, the connection between the sections can be easily accomplished as already described.

Thereafter, the other side pipe 102 and the second plate 20 can be connected to each other (S31). Thereafter, the guide plate 111 and the first plate 10 can be connected to each other (S32).

In the corrugated pipe joining operation, the joining process (S32) with the first plate is performed later than the joining process (S31) with the second plate. The reason is that during the connecting process (S31) with the second plate, displacement may occur in the corrugated pipe, in which case the displacement can be absorbed by allowing the guide plate 111 to move.

On the other hand, when the connecting process (S32) with the first plate is performed first, the other side pipe 102 may not absorb the displacement. Thus, the displacement of the corrugated pipe remains in the corrugated pipe, which may lead to deterioration and product failure.

Thereafter, the sealing process of the drainer 72 is completed, and a vacuum can be created inside the vacuum adiabatic element to complete the process (S33).

In this embodiment, it can be seen that even if the dimensions of each portion and the relative positions between the elements do not exactly match, an accurate assembly operation is performed. This embodiment results from an inherent limitation of the product in which the efficiency of the vacuum adiabatic element is not degraded by causing vacuum failure even due to assembly defects due to small errors.

Industrial applicability

According to embodiments, it is possible to improve the reliability of the drainage device of the product, which discharges the melt water of the evaporator located inside the refrigerator to the outside by arranging a pipe passing through the inside and outside of the vacuum adiabatic element.

According to the embodiments, since the objectives of ensuring almost constant reliability of the vacuum adiabatic element, reducing heat loss and preventing failure due to freezing of pipeline fluid are achieved, its application can be said to be urgently awaited in the refrigeration industry.

Claims (20)

1. A vacuum adiabatic element comprising: a first plate configured to form at least a portion of a wall for the first region; a second plate configured to form at least a portion of a wall for a second region having a temperature different from the temperature of the first region; a seal configured to seal the first plate and the second plate to form a third region that has a temperature between the temperature of the first region and the temperature of the second region and is in a vacuum state; a support configured to support the third region; a thin pipe configured to connect the hole of the first plate with the hole of the second plate; an adiabatic material having an elongated portion disposed within the thin tube to perform adiabatic work on the thin tube, and a top portion disposed at an end of the elongated portion so as to be disposed on at least one side of the first plate and the second plate; and a through conduit extending through the interior of the adiabatic material to permit passage of material between the first region and the second region. 2. The vacuum adiabatic element according to claim 1, in which the upper part is configured to prevent the plate from opening into the area in which each of the plates is located. 3. The vacuum adiabatic element according to claim 1, wherein the thin pipe is a corrugated pipe, and the corrugated pipe has a cross section containing two vertical sections; two horizontal sections; and a rounded projecting intermediate portion located between the two vertical portions and the two horizontal portions. 4. The vacuum adiabatic element according to claim 1, wherein the first region has a low temperature compared to the second region, the upper portion is located on a side of the first plate, and the upper portion is configured to block the opening of an adjacent portion of the opening of the first plate into the first region to interrupt convection cooling the adjacent portion of the hole of the first plate. 5. The vacuum adiabatic element according to claim 4, wherein the upper part is not located on the side of the second plate. 6. The vacuum adiabatic element according to claim 1, wherein the pipe is connected to one side of the thin pipe. 7. The vacuum adiabatic element according to claim 1, wherein the guide plate is connected to one or both sides of the thin pipe. 8. The vacuum adiabatic element according to claim 7, wherein the hole of the plate corresponding to one side of the thin pipe to which the guide plate is connected is larger than the hole of the other plate. 9. A refrigerator, comprising: a main body having an opening relative to an area for storing food; an evaporator located in the main body to generate cold air; a door configured to open and close an opening of the main body; and a drain device located in the main body for discharging melt water generated in the evaporator to the outside of the housing area, the drain device including a thin pipe extending through the main body to connect the inside of the housing area with the outside of the housing area; a drain pipe located inside a thin pipe to drain melt water; and an adiabatic material having an elongated portion extending along the drain pipe to block heat transfer between the drain pipe and the thin pipe, and an upper portion located on one side of both sides of the elongated portion that is close to the placement area. 10. The refrigerator according to claim 9, wherein the top portion is in close contact with the wall of the housing region to block convection cooling between the housing region and the wall of the housing region. 11. The refrigerator according to claim 9, in which convection heating of the thin pipe is allowed on the other side of the elongated part, which is far from the placement area. 12. The refrigerator according to claim 9, wherein the main body contains a vacuum adiabatic element for forming a housing area, the vacuum adiabatic element contains: a first plate configured to form at least a wall portion for the housing area; a second plate configured to form at least a wall portion for an outer region of the placement area; a seal configured to seal the first plate and the second plate to form a vacuum region that has a temperature between the temperature of the placement region and the temperature of the outer region and is in a vacuum state; and a support configured to support a vacuum region, and a protruding intermediate portion rounded to increase the thermal conduction distance to reduce thermal conductivity between the plates. 13. The refrigerator according to claim 12, in which the thin pipe contains: a main body containing at least two protruding intermediate sections; and a connecting portion connected to each of the plates at the end of the main body. 14. A method for manufacturing a refrigerator that uses a vacuum adiabatic element as a main body, the vacuum adiabatic element comprising: a first plate configured to form at least a wall portion for an accommodation area; a second plate configured to form at least a wall portion for an outer region of the placement area; a seal configured to seal the first plate and the second plate to form a vacuum region that has a temperature between the temperature of the placement region and the temperature of the outer region and is in a vacuum state; a support configured to support the vacuum region; and a thin pipe configured to connect an opening of the first plate to an opening of the second plate, the method comprising: forming a connecting structure on at least one side of the thin pipe; securing said one side of the thin pipe to one of the plates; and securing the other side of the thin pipe to the other of the plates. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the guide plate is connected to the other side of the thin pipe. 16. The method of claim 14, wherein the hole of the plate corresponding to the other side of the thin pipe is larger than the hole of the plate corresponding to one side of the thin pipe. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the guide plate has an outer diameter larger than the hole diameter of the plate corresponding to the other side of the thin pipe. 18. The method of claim 14, wherein the thin pipe includes a main body having a plurality of corrugations, and the connecting structure is a pipe connected to both ends of the main body. 19. The method according to claim 14, wherein before connecting the other side of the thin pipe and the other one of the plates to each other, a pair of plates are connected to each other. 20. The method of claim 14, wherein after securing one side of the thin pipe to one of the plates, the pair of plates are connected to each other.