WO2007011173A1

WO2007011173A1 - Hot water generation apparatus for refrigerator

Info

Publication number: WO2007011173A1
Application number: PCT/KR2006/002850
Authority: WO
Inventors: Eui Kap Jung
Original assignee: Eui Kap Jung
Priority date: 2005-07-22
Filing date: 2006-07-19
Publication date: 2007-01-25

Abstract

Disclosed is a hot water generation apparatus for an energy saving type refrigerator which uses heat generated in a compressor or a condenser constituting a refrigeration cycle of a refrigerator as a preheating source for preheating water, thereby reducing power consumption of the refrigerator, and which does not require a separate hot water container, thereby improving space utilization efficiency of the refrigerator. The apparatus comprises a heat exchanger installed on a compressor or on a portion of a condenser to primarily heat raw water supplied from the outside using heat collected from an evaporator constitutinga refrigeration cycle of the refrigerator, and a secondary heater installed on a fluid path extending between the heat exchanger and a water supply three-way valve or a cool and hot water switching valve, to momentarily reheat to a high temperature purified water primarily heated by the heat exchanger.

Description

HOT WATER GENERATION APPARATUS FOR REFRIGERATOR

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates, in general, to an energy saving type refrigerator, and more particularly, to a hot water generation apparatus for an energy saving type refrigerator which uses heat generated in a compressor or a condenser constituting a refrigeration cycle of a refrigerator as a preheating source for preheating water, thereby reducing power consumption of the refrigerator, and which does not require a separate hot water container to be installed inside or outside the refrigerator, thereby improving space utilization efficiency of the refrigerator.

Background Art

[2] As is generally known in the art, in a refrigerator, raw water supplied from a water supply source is purified by a water purification filter or a water purifier, and the temperature of water is lowered to a predetermined temperature by a cooling cycle. Then, the water is supplied to a dispenser for dispensing cool water or to an ice maker being an ice-making machine.

[3] At this time, means for dispensing cool water does not have any problem. However, in the case of dispensing hot water, while a separate hot water container must be provided, a problem is caused in that the hot water container cannot be properly disposed in the refrigerator due to the characteristic of the refrigerator.

[4] Therefore, in the case of a cool and hot water purifier which is similar to the dispenser of a refrigerator, a hot water supply device for a water purifier, using condensing heat of a refrigeration cycle, as disclosed in Korean Utility Model Laid- open Publication No. 1998-57743 dated October 15, 1998, and a hot water supply device as disclosed in Korean Utility Model Registration No. 263027 are provided.

[5] In the former hot water supply device, a water bath which serves as a condenser constituting a refrigeration cycle is connected with a water tank and a hot watertank in a manner such that the water supplied from the water tank is heated in the water bath by condensing heat and heated water is supplied to the hot water tank. In the latter hot water supply device, in addition to the construction of the former hot water supply device, respective accumulated time data of cool and hot water are controlled by a microcomputer depending upon a consumption amount of cool and hot water, and hot water preheated in a condenser is additionally heated by secondary heating means. However, these devices suffer from drawbacks in that they cannot appropriately satisfy thermodynamic laws. [6] That is to say, when considering the characteristics of a refrigeration cycle, a cooling coil serving as an evaporator is provided in a cooling water bath, a heat absorption process is implemented in the cooling coil to lower the temperatureof the water supplied through a water purification filter, and a heat dissipation process is implemented in a condenser. However, in the case of the above-described devices, while the refrigeration cycle can smoothly proceed in an initial operation stage during which the temperature of water in the water bath serving as a condenser is relatively low (about 10-25C), as the temperature of water in the water bath gradually increases and approaches to the discharge temperature (no less than 50C) of a compressor, the refrigeration cycle cannot properly proceed anymore.

[7] Specifically, in the case of the latter hot water supply device, in order to cope with these problems, an amount of water discharged from the water purifier is controlled by the microcomputer in consideration of the consumption amount of cool and hot water. Nevertheless, because the water consumption pattern of consumers is diverse and cool and hot water consumption pattern varies depending upon a season, the refrigeration cycle still cannot properly proceed. Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem

[8] Accordingly, the present invention has been made in an effort to solve the problems occurring in the related art, and an object of the present invention is to providea hot water generation apparatus for an energy saving typerefrigerator in which the functionality of a condenser in the construction of a cooling device is maintained as it is, and only the heat generatedin a compressor or a condenser is collected through a heat exchanger serving as an auxiliary mechanism to be used as a preheating source for preheating water, thereby reducing power consumption of the refrigerator, and which does not require a separate hot water container, thereby improving space utilization efficiency of the refrigerator. Technical Solution

[9] In order to achieve the above object, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hot water supply apparatus for a refrigerator wherein raw water is purified using a filter or a water purifier, purified water is primarily heated and converted into hot water of 40-50C using a compressor or a condenser constituting a refrigeration cycle, and hot water is heated by a secondary heater to allow hot water of 85-90C to be dispensed to a consumer, and wherein a separate heat exchanger is installed on the compressor or a portion of the condenser (generally comprising a wire condenser) constituting the refrigeration cycle to heat and convert raw water of 10-25C into hot water of 40-50C, hot water stored in the heat exchanger is connected to a drinking water cock through a tube, and a connection between a rear part of the refrigerator and the drinking water cock is formed such thata hinge shaft of a door hinge provided to a door of the refrigerator has a hollow sectional shape and the tube passes through the hollow hinge shaft.

[10] According to anotheraspect of the present invention, the secondary heater is arranged between the hinge and the drinking water cock such that the secondary heater is positioned as close as possible to the drinking water cock to allow hot water initially discharged from the secondary heater to be dispensed at a high temperature (85-90C), and the secondary heater is constructed in a manner such that a metallic tube is closely wound on a bar-shaped sheath heater element to increase a heat conduction area to thereby momentarily heat water to a high temperature. Brief Description of the Drawings

[11] The above objects, and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent after a reading of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

[12] FlG. 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating the construction of a hot water generation apparatus for an energy saving type refrigerator in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention

[13] FlG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating the construction of a secondary heater in the apparatus shown in FlG. 1 ;

[14] FlG. 3 is a schematic view illustratinga structure for connecting a primary heater and the secondary heater with each other in the apparatus shown in FlG. 1 ; and

[15] FlG. 4 is a view illustrating the main parts of a hot water generation apparatus for an energy saving type refrigerator in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[16] Reference will now be made in greater detail to a preferred embodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts.

[17] FlG. 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating the construction of a hot water generation apparatus for an energy saving type refrigerator in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[18] Referring to FlG. 1, in a refrigerator 100 according to the present invention, water, which is supplied from a watersupply source and an amount of which is adjusted by a raw water supply valve 10, is purified by a water purifier 12, and purified water is converted into cool water and hot water using waste heat from an evaporator, a compressor 33, etc. which constitute a refrigeration cycle of the refrigerator.

[19] In the construction of the present invention, the compressor 33 and a condenser are maintained as they are in the existing refrigerator, and a heat exchanger 20 is installed on the compressor 33 or on a portion of the condenser to primarily heat raw water supplied from the water supply source using heat collected from a refrigerationcycle of the refrigerator. The reason to install the heat exchanger 20 is as described below.

[20] The compressor 33 is a device for compressing a low temperature and low pressure refrigerant into a high temperature and high pressure refrigerant, and has a temperature of 50-80C on the upper part thereof. The condenser is a device for condensing the refrigerant and discharging condensing heat to the outside, and has a temperature of about 45-55C on the surface thereof.

[21] Therefore, by using waste heat generated from the compressor 33 and the condenserin a primary heating (preheating) process for converting water supplied from the water supply source into hot water, it is possible to shorten a time during which preheated hot water approaches to a temperature of about 80-90C after passing through a secondary heater 24 as will be described later.

[22] In the construction of the conventional art, waste heat generated from the condenser is dissipated to the outside as it is, or the entire condenser formed in the shape of a coil is impregnated in hot water bath to preheat purified water. However, in the conventional art, if the temperature of the hot water bath approaches to 53C which corresponds to the output temperature of the compressor, the functionality of the refrigerator is significantly deteriorated and the refrigeration cycle cannot properly proceed. As a result, the refrigerator cannot adequately perform its function.

[23] Hence, in the present invention, the existing condenser is maintained as it is, and purified water for generating hot water is preheated through the heat exchanger 20 which can use a portion of waste heat dissipated from the upper part of the dome- shaped compressor 33 and the condenser. Therefore, heat efficiency of thecondenser can be improved while not adversely influencing the existing refrigeration system, as a result of which energy can be saved.

[24] The secondary heater 24 is installed on a fluid path extending between the heat exchanger 20 and a cool and hot water switching valve 41 being a water supply valve to momentarily reheat to a high temperature purified water primarily heated by the compressor 33 or the condenser.

[25] FlG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating theconstruction of the secondary heater in the hot water generation apparatus for an energy saving type refrigerator in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention.

[26] The secondary heater 24 according to the present invention can comprise a sheath heater element or a ceramic band heater which causes preheated hot water to flow through a predetermined flow path and momentarily heats the preheated hot water to a temperature of to 80-90C.

[27] The secondary heater 24 is constructed in a manner such that a bar-shaped sheath heater element 24a is provided and a metallic coil tube 24b which is connected to a hot water supply tube 22 is closely wound in the shape of a coil on the sheath heater element 24a. Thus, a heat conduction area per a unit device can be maximized, and the primarily heated water can flow through the coil tube 24b to be momentarily heated to a high temperature.

[28] At this time, the sheath heater element 24a and the coil tube 24b are wrapped by an insulation material 24c, and the resultant structure is finally wrapped by a case 24d to maximize heat insulation effect.

[29] In addition, the water expansion pressure generated in the secondary heater 24 due to an abrupt temperature rise is returned to the heat exchanger 20 through a hot water return tube 25, and an excessive pressure is finally discharged to the outside through a safety valve installed in the heat exchanger 20 so that stable water flow can be maintained.

[30] FlG. 3 is a schematic view illustrating the construction of a door hinge in the hot water generation apparatus for an energy saving type refrigerator in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention.

[31] In general, since the door of a refrigerator is separately provided from the body of the refrigerator due to the characteristic of the refrigerator, the hot water supply tube 22 and the hot water return tube 25, which connect the heat exchanger 20 installed on the lower portion of the rear part of the refrigerator 100 with the secondary heater 24 installed on the middle portion of the front part of the refrigerator 100, cannot but pass through a door hinge 23.

[32] Hence, in the present invention, the hinge shaft portions 23a and 23b of the door hinge 23 are formed to have a hollow sectional shape sothat an electric cord for the heater and/or the hot water tubes can pass through the hollow hinge shaft portions 23a and 23b.

[33] Hereafter, working effects of the hot water generation apparatus for an energy saving type refrigerator in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention, constructed as mentioned above, will be described.

[34] First, as raw water being domestic water having a temperature of 10-25C passes through a purification filter or the water purifier 12, drinkable purified water is generated. A part of the purified water is supplied through a water valve 15 to a dispenser 40 or an ice maker 42. Anotherpart of the purified water is primarily heated to a temperature of 45-50C with the lapse of time while passing through the heat exchanger 20 installed on the upper part of the compressor 33 or on a portion of the condenser. Then, if a user presses a hot water button, the secondary heater 24 is operated to heat within several seconds the primarily heated purified water to a temperature of 80-90C which is suitable to drink as hot water.

[35] The supply of hot water is implemented separately from the operations of the dispenser 40 and the ice maker 42 as an ice-making machine, which are cool water supply devices.

[36] Describing again the hot water generation procedure based on the operation principle of the refrigeration cycle, a refrigerant flowing in the evaporators of a refrigeration compartment 31 and a freezing compartment 32 defined in the refrigerator 100 absorbs heat in the refrigerator 100, and food items are stored at a freezing or refrigeration temperature of -5-10C. In the hot water-dedicated space defined in the heat exchanger 20 installed on the compressor or on a portion of the condenser which generates heat while the refrigerant is compressed or condensed, purified water is primarily heated to a predetermined temperature of 45-50C using waste heat from the compressor 33 or the condenser.

[37] At this time, if the user manipulates the cool and hot water switching valve 41 to drink hot water, the secondary heater 24 which is disposed on a hot water supply path is operated to momentarily heat preheated hot water to a temperature of 80-90C to allow the user to enjoy hot water.

[38] FlG. 4 is a view illustrating the main parts of a hot water generation apparatus for an energy saving type refrigerator in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

[39] Referring to FlG. 4, a hot water generation apparatus for an energy saving type refrigerator in accordance with this embodiment of the present invention comprises a hot water tank 50 installed on a compressor 33 or on a portion of a condenser to primarily heat raw water supplied from the outside using heat collected from an evaporator constituting a refrigeration cycle of the refrigerator, a main heater 52 for heating hot water received from the hot water tank 50 to a predetermined temperature, and an auxiliary heater 54 positioned adjacent to the main heater 52 and electrically connected to a water supply three-way valve or a cool and hot water switching valve, to momentarily reheat to a high temperature purified water primarily heated by the main heater 52.

[40] When the hot water is supplied from the hot water tank 50 through the heaters 52 and 54 and flows through a hot water supply tube 22, in order to constantly maintain the temperature of the hot water, heat must be applied to the hot water flowing through the hot water supply tube 22. To this end, a heating wire 56 extends through the hot water supply tube 22. Industrial Applicability [41] As is apparent from the above description, the hot water generation apparatus for an energy saving type refrigerator according to the present invention provides advantages in that, since the existing compressor and condenser are maintained as they are and a portion of waste heat generated in the compressor and condenser is used in a process for generatinghot water, power consumption can be reduced without deteriorating refrigeration and freezing capabilities of the refrigerator. Also, because the conventional boiler for generating hot water is not separately required, the entire refrigerator can be made compact, and a water purifier having a hot water generation function is not needed.

[42] In the drawings and specification, there have been disclosed typical preferred embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.

Claims

[1] A hot water generation apparatus for a refrigerator, comprising: a heat exchanger installed on a compressor or on a portion of a condenser to primarily heat raw water supplied from the outside using heat collected from an evaporator constituting a refrigeration cycle of the refrigerator; and a secondary heater installed on a fluid path extending between the heat exchanger and a water supply three-way valve or a cool and hot water switching valve, to momentarily reheat to a high temperature purified water primarily heated by the heat exchanger.

[2] The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the secondary heater is constructed in a manner such that a coil tube through which water flows is wound on a sheath heater element for momentarily heating preheated hot water to a temperature of 80-90C to increase a heat exchange area, or water flows through a coil-shaped path which is defined by a pair of metal pieces and plate-shaped ceramic band heaters each having a large heat exchange area are installed on outer surfaces of the metal pieces.

[3] The apparatus as set forth in claims 1 or 2, wherein the secondary heater which is installed on a middle portion of a front part of the refrigerator, constituting a door of the refrigerator, has a hot water supply tube and a hot water return tube which are connected to the heat exchanger which is installed on a lower portion of a rear part of the refrigerator, and a hinge shaft of a door hinge provided to the door of the refrigerator has a hollow sectional shape so that the hot water supply tube canpass through the hollow hinge shaft.

[4] The apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein a heating wire extends through the hot water supply tube to constantly maintain a temperature of hot water in the hot water supply tube.

[5] A hot water generation apparatus for a refrigerator, comprising: a hot water tank installed on a compressor or on a portion of a condenser to primarily heat raw water supplied from the outside using heat collected from an evaporator constituting a refrigeration cycle of the refrigerator; a main heater for heating hot water received from the hot water tank to a predetermined temperature; and an auxiliary heater positioned adjacent to the main heater and electrically connected to a water supply three-way valve or a cool and hot water switching valve, to momentarily reheat to a high temperature purified water primarily heated by the main heater.