WO2010092628A1

WO2010092628A1 - Refrigerator

Info

Publication number: WO2010092628A1
Application number: PCT/JP2009/001064
Authority: WO
Inventors: 西村晃一; 角尾龍彦
Original assignee: パナソニック株式会社
Priority date: 2009-02-12
Filing date: 2009-03-10
Publication date: 2010-08-19
Also published as: EP2397799B1; EP2397799A1; JPWO2010092628A1; EP2397799A4; CN102317716A; JP5450462B2; CN102317716B

Abstract

A refrigerator provided with a cold storage compartment and a freezer compartment which are arranged next to each other in the left-right direction has enhanced energy efficiency of a cooling cycle. A refrigerator (100) is provided with a first box (151) having an opening in the front face thereof and forming a cold storage compartment, a second box (152) having an opening in the front face thereof and forming a freezer compartment, and a metal outer box (156) for covering the first and second boxes (151, 152) arranged next to each other in the left-right direction. The refrigerator (100) is also provided with a compressor (101) mounted in the lower part of the second box (152), a first condenser (124) connected to the compressor (101), mounted in the lower part of the first box (151), and directly exchanging heat with air, a second condenser (125) connected to the first condenser (124), mounted between the first box (151) and the outer box (156), and exchanging heat via the outer box (156) with air, and an evaporator (103) connected to the second condenser (125) and evaporating a refrigerant.

Description

refrigerator

The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and particularly to a technology related to a cooling cycle unit of a refrigerator provided with a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment arranged in the left-right direction.

Conventionally, there are many refrigerators that are provided in a state in which a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment are stacked vertically (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In the case of this type of refrigerator, the compressor and the condenser that constitute the cooling cycle unit are arranged side by side in the left-right direction behind the lower part of the refrigerator. In the refrigerator in which the refrigerator compartment and the freezer compartment are arranged in the vertical direction, the positional relationship between the compressor and the condenser in the left-right direction is the position of the condenser and the compressor and the refrigerator compartment or the freezer compartment. Since the relationship is uniform, it is determined by conditions such as ease of piping.

On the other hand, recently, refrigerators in which a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment are arranged in the left-right direction have appeared. Even in this type of refrigerator, the compressor and the condenser are arranged at the lower rear of the refrigerator. In the case of the refrigerator, the positional relationship between the compressor and the condenser in the left-right direction is considered important. That is, since the compressor temperature is relatively high compared to the condenser temperature, the condenser is disposed below the freezer compartment, and the compressor is disposed below the refrigerator compartment, so that the compressor is disposed below the refrigerator compartment. The temperature gradient in the thickness direction of the heat insulating material is kept low, and the temperature gradient in the thickness direction of the heat insulating material arranged below the refrigerator compartment is kept low.

Moreover, in any type of refrigerator, the compressor and the condenser are at a high temperature, so the compressor and the condenser are exposed to the atmosphere and cooled by air.
JP 2003-42636 A

However, when the compressor and the condenser are cooled with air as in a conventional refrigerator, dust adheres to these surfaces by using the refrigerator for many years. In particular, when dust accumulates in the condenser, the temperature of the condenser is kept by the dust, so that the refrigerant cannot be cooled as expected, and the ability of the cooling cycle tends to decrease. In addition, the refrigerator of the type in which the refrigerator compartment and the freezer compartment are arranged side by side in the left-right direction is relatively large and cannot be easily moved. Since it is difficult to remove dust adhering to the machine, it is also difficult to recover the decrease in cooling cycle capacity.

Therefore, the inventors of the present invention have found that the use of a metal outer box as a heat radiating plate can compensate for a decrease in the capacity of the cooling cycle, and are proceeding with a separate application procedure for this point.

Furthermore, the inventors of the present application have found a cooling cycle unit suitable when the outer box is used as a heat sink.

The present invention has been made on the basis of the above knowledge, and in a refrigerator of a type in which a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment are arranged side by side in the left-right direction, increasing the energy efficiency of the cooling cycle while suppressing a decrease in the capacity of the cooling cycle. The purpose is to provide a refrigerator that can contribute to energy saving.

To achieve the above object, a refrigerator according to the present invention includes a first box that has an opening on the front surface and forms a refrigerator compartment, and a second box that has an opening on the front surface and forms a freezer compartment, A refrigerator comprising a metal outer box covering the first box and the second box arranged adjacent to each other in the left-right direction, the compressor being arranged below the second box And a first condenser that is connected to the compressor and disposed below the first box and directly exchanges heat with air, and is connected to the first condenser, and the first box and the outer A second condenser that is arranged between the box and exchanges heat with the air via the outer box; and an evaporator that is connected to the second condenser and evaporates the refrigerant.

Thereby, the second condenser can be arranged in the vicinity of the first condenser, and the pipe connecting the first condenser and the second condenser can be shortened. Therefore, it is possible to improve the energy efficiency of the cooling cycle by avoiding useless circulation of the refrigerant.

Furthermore, it is preferable to include a blower that is disposed between the compressor and the first condenser and generates an air flow that cools the compressor and the first condenser.

This makes it possible to flow the air in the space where the first condenser and the compressor are arranged, thereby enhancing the cooling effect. Therefore, even if there is a compressor below the freezer compartment, the influence of the heat of the compressor on the freezer compartment can be reduced, and the energy efficiency of the entire refrigerator can be improved.

The evaporator is connected to the second condenser and is connected in series with the first evaporator disposed on the back of the first box, and to the back of the second box. A second evaporator disposed, and the refrigerator further includes a bypass pipe that connects the second condenser and the second evaporator without passing through the first evaporator, and the second condenser. It is preferable to provide a switching valve that selects whether to supply the refrigerant to the first evaporator or to supply the refrigerant directly from the second condenser to the second evaporator.

This makes it possible to switch between operation and stop of the first evaporator while the second evaporator is in operation. Therefore, it is not necessary to operate the first evaporator by being dragged to the second evaporator that operates for a long time in order to cool the cooling chamber that requires a relatively low temperature, and the refrigerant is efficiently used to achieve high energy efficiency. It becomes possible to acquire.

Further, it is preferable that the switching valve is disposed on the side where the first condenser is disposed with respect to the blower.

According to this, since the switching valve is present in the region of the first condenser where the temperature is relatively low, it is difficult to adversely affect the performance of the cooling cycle. In addition, since it is necessary to perform maintenance etc., it is suitable to expose the switching valve to the atmosphere, and it is suitable to arrange the switching valve in a region where the first condenser exists.

Furthermore, the water cooling device which has a valve which is connected with water supply and selects supply of the tap water to the said refrigerator and interruption | blocking of tap water is provided, The said valve is the side by which the 1st condenser is arrange | positioned with respect to the said air blower It is preferable to arrange | position.

As a result, a valve that controls the flow of water in the water cooling device that draws tap water into the refrigerator and supplies the cooled tap water is present in the region of the first condenser where the temperature is relatively low. It is possible to suppress a decrease in cooling capacity. In addition, since it is necessary to perform maintenance etc., it is suitable to expose the valve to the atmosphere, and it is suitable to arrange the valve in a region where the first condenser exists.

Further, the direction of the air flow generated by the blower is preferably the direction from the second condenser toward the compressor.

According to this, an air flow can be made from the low temperature side to the high temperature side, and the cooling efficiency of the first condenser and the compressor can be improved. In addition, it is possible to prevent the heat of the compressor from being transmitted to the switching valve and the valve, and to avoid a decrease in the cooling cycle capacity and the water cooling capacity.

Furthermore, an evaporating dish for storing and evaporating defrosted water generated by the cooling cycle is disposed between the second box and the compressor, and has a recess that contacts the upper surface from the upper surface of the compressor. It is preferable to provide an evaporating dish.

According to this, a member called an evaporating dish can be interposed between the compressor and the second box that are relatively high in temperature, and the influence of the heat of the compressor in the second box can be reduced. It becomes. In addition, the evaporating dish is a dish that vaporizes defrosted water generated on the surface of the evaporator, and it is possible to reduce the influence on the second box by taking the heat of the compressor by the heat of vaporization. .

Further, the blower is disposed between the compressor and the first condenser and generates an air flow for cooling the compressor and the first condenser, and the evaporating dish is located above the compressor. It is preferable to provide an inclined portion for guiding the air flow flowing through the compressor to the compressor.

Thereby, the cooling efficiency of the compressor by the blower can be improved, the influence on the second box can be reduced, and the energy efficiency of the cooling cycle can be improved.

The evaporator is connected to the second condenser and connected to the first evaporator disposed on the back of the first box, and connected to the first evaporator and disposed on the back of the second box. It is preferable that the refrigerator further includes a guide water channel for guiding the defrost water generated from the first evaporator to the evaporating dish.

This makes it possible to concentrate more water in the evaporating dish, increasing the amount of water vaporized and increasing the amount of heat taken away from the compressor by vaporization.

The height of the compressor is preferably lower than the height of the first condenser.

According to this, the distance between the compressor and the second box is increased, and the heat of the compressor transmitted to the second box can be reduced. Moreover, an evaporating dish can be easily arrange | positioned in the space between the said compressor and the 2nd box, and arrangement | positioning of a guide channel, etc. can also be performed easily.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a refrigerator that can contribute to energy saving while maintaining and improving the capacity of the refrigerator.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the refrigerator. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an appearance of the refrigerator in which the third door and the fourth door are opened. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an appearance of the refrigerator in which the first door and the second door are opened. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an appearance of the refrigerator in which the first door and the second door are omitted. FIG. 5 is a diagram schematically showing the cooling cycle unit. FIG. 6 is a perspective view schematically showing the components of the cooling cycle unit in a state attached to the refrigerator. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the lower back of the refrigerator from the back of the refrigerator. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing an evaporating dish. FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing, in section, the state of attachment of the evaporating dish to the compressor. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the lower back in a state where a part is seen through from the back of the refrigerator.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Refrigerator 101 Compressor 102 Condenser 103 Evaporator 104 Refrigerant return piping 105 Bypass pipe 106 Switching valve 107 Valve 108 Connection pipe 110 Cooling cycle unit 111 First door 112 Third door 113 Through hole 114 Water cooling device 115 Insulator 116 Water pipe 120 machine room 121 second door 122 fourth door 123 supply port 124 first condenser 125 second condenser 126 third condenser 131 first evaporator 132 second evaporator 133 guide channel 134 second guide channel 140 evaporating dish 141 Blower 143 Concave portion 145 Inclined portion 147 Introduction hole 150 Box body 151 First box body 152 Second box body 153 Partition wall 156 Outer box 157 Inner box 160 First capillary 161 Second capillary

Next, an embodiment of a refrigerator according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the refrigerator.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the refrigerator with the third door and the fourth door opened.

Refrigerator 100 is a device that refrigerates or stores stored items stored inward, and includes box body 150, first door 111, second door 121, third door 112, and through-hole. 113 and a fourth door 122. The refrigerator 100 is a rectangular box having the longest height among the height, width, and depth.

The first door 111 is a door that opens and closes the opening on the right side toward the box body 150. In the case of the present embodiment, the first door 111 is hinged to the box body 150 by a hinge (not shown) so as to rotate about a rotation axis extending in the vertical direction in front of the right wall of the box body 150. It is attached. The first door 111 has a rectangular shape that is long in the vertical direction, and is arranged from the upper part to the lower part of the refrigerator 100, and the rotation shaft passes through the right end edge of the first door 111.

The second door 121 is a door that opens and closes the opening on the left side toward the box body 150. In the case of the present embodiment, the second door 121 is attached to the box body 150 by a hinge (not shown) so as to rotate about a rotation axis extending in the vertical direction in front of the left wall of the box body 150. It is attached. The second door 121 has a rectangular shape that is long in the vertical direction, and is arranged from the upper part to the lower part of the refrigerator 100, and the rotation shaft passes through the left end edge of the second door 121.

The through hole 113 is a hole that penetrates the first door 111 in the thickness direction. The through-hole 113 is used to take out stored items stored behind the first door 111 without opening the first door 111, and to insert the stored items for storage behind the first door 111. It is a hole.

The third door 112 is a door that closes the through hole 113 so as to be freely opened and closed. In the case of the present embodiment, the third door 112 is attached to the first door 111 by a hinge (not shown) so as to rotate about a rotation axis extending in the left-right direction at the lower end edge of the through hole 113. ing. Further, the third door 112 is substantially square when viewed from the front (the corners are rounded), and the rotation shaft passes through the lower edge of the third door 112.

The fourth door 122 is a door that is connected to the water supply and covers the supply port 123 of the water cooling device 114 that cools the tap water supplied to the inside of the refrigerator 100 by the cooling cycle unit 110 that the refrigerator 100 includes.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the refrigerator with the first door and the second door opened.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the refrigerator in which the first door and the second door are omitted.

Note that FIG. 3 also shows a stored item A stored in the refrigerator 100.

As shown in these drawings, the refrigerator 100 includes a first box 151, a second box 152, and an outer box 156.

The first box body 151 is a box body having an opening on the front surface and having a long heat insulating performance in the vertical direction forming a refrigerator compartment. In the case of the present embodiment, the first box 151 is disposed on the right side of the refrigerator 100 over the entire vertical direction of the refrigerator 100. In addition, the refrigerator compartment is a room that maintains the inside temperature in a temperature range of 0 ° C. or higher, and especially when storing high humidity such as vegetables, a drawer case is formed in the refrigerator compartment and the cold air circulating in the refrigerator compartment is directly It is a room where a room that is partitioned so as not to hit vegetables is provided inside.

The second box 152 is a box that has an opening on the front surface and has a long heat insulating performance in the vertical direction that forms a freezer compartment. In the case of the present embodiment, the second box 152 is disposed on the left side of the refrigerator over the entire vertical direction of the refrigerator 100. Note that the freezer room is a room that maintains room temperature lower than the temperature of the refrigerator room at around minus 18 ° C. and stores stored items such as frozen foods.

The outer box 156 is a metal plate that covers the first box 151 and the second box 152 that are arranged adjacent to each other in the left-right direction.

Here, the box body 150 in the present embodiment is manufactured as follows. In other words, the refrigerator compartment and the freezer compartment separated by the partition wall 153 are manufactured independently by the inner box 157 by integral molding with resin. An outer box is arranged outside the inner box 157 so as to cover the inner box 157 at a predetermined interval from the inner box 157. A gap that communicates with the gap between the outer box 156 and the inner box 157 is also provided inside the partition wall 153. A space provided between the outer box 156 and the inner box 157 and a gap between the partition walls 153 are filled and foamed with, for example, hard urethane foam to obtain a heat insulating material. The box body 150 is manufactured as described above.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, the walls adjacent to the first box 151 and the second box 152 are inseparably integrated, and the first box 151 and the second box 152 define the partition wall 153. It is intended to be shared as a wall.

Next, the cooling cycle unit provided in the refrigerator 100 and other elements will be described.

FIG. 5 is a diagram schematically showing the cooling cycle unit.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view schematically showing components of the cooling cycle unit attached to the refrigerator.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the lower back of the refrigerator from the back of the refrigerator.

The cooling cycle unit 110 has a function of forcibly transferring heat from one space to the other space by releasing heat by the condenser 102 and absorbing heat by the evaporator 103. 103 is arranged at a position for cooling the inside of the refrigerator 100 and the condenser 102 is arranged in a machine room outside the refrigerator 100, so that the inside of the refrigerator 100 can be cooled. As shown in these drawings, the cooling cycle unit employed by the refrigerator 100 is a device including a compressor 101 (Compressor), a condenser 102 (Condenser), and an evaporator 103 (Evaporator), and a refrigerant path. A cooling cycle is realized by connecting the devices in a ring shape with the refrigerant return pipe 104 and circulating the refrigerant. In the case of the present embodiment, the refrigerator 100 further includes a bypass pipe 105, and the machine room 120 includes a switching valve 106, a valve 107, an evaporating dish 140, and a blower 141.

The compressor 101 is a device that compresses the gaseous refrigerant flowing in the refrigerant return pipe 104 and increases the pressure of the refrigerant. The compressor 101 is arrange | positioned inside the machine room 120 which exists in the lower back of the refrigerator 100, and is arrange | positioned under the 2nd box 152 which is a freezing room. The compressor 101 is attached to the machine room 120 through the insulator 115, and is attached in a state in which the vibration of the compressor 101 is not easily transmitted to the refrigerator 100. In the case of the present embodiment, even when the insulator 115 is taken into consideration, the upper surface of the compressor 101 is at a position lower than the upper surface of the first condenser 124.

The condenser 102 is a device that radiates the heat of the gaseous refrigerant whose pressure has been increased to the atmosphere to cool the refrigerant, thereby converting the refrigerant into a liquid refrigerant having a high pressure. In the case of this embodiment, the condenser 102 includes a first condenser 124, a second condenser 125, and a third condenser 126.

The first condenser 124 is a main condenser that directly exchanges heat with air. The 1st condenser 124 is arrange | positioned under the 1st box 151 which is a refrigerator compartment, and is arrange | positioned inside the machine room 120 which exists in the back lower part of the refrigerator 100 in the state exposed to air. In the embodiment, the main condenser is a spiral fin coil specification in which thin heat-radiating fins formed of a heat-conductive material such as aluminum are spirally wound around the pipe, and the pipe is meandered several times and bent. Is configured.

The second condenser 125 is arranged in a meandering manner in close contact with the back surface of the outer box 156 between the outer side wall of the first box 151 and the outer box 156, and the second condenser 125 is arranged through the metal outer box 156. It is an auxiliary condenser that exchanges heat with air. In addition, since there is a heat insulating material between the second condenser 125 and the inner side of the first box 151, the heat generated from the second condenser 125 hardly affects the inner side of the first box 151. It has become a thing. Further, since the inside of the first box 151 is a refrigerating room having a relatively high temperature, the thermal gradient between the second condenser 125 and the inside of the first box 151 is low, and heat is not easily transmitted. Yes.

The third condenser 126 is an auxiliary condenser arranged at the periphery of the opening of the second box 152, cools the refrigerant by heat dissipation, and raises the temperature of the periphery of the opening of the second box 152 to cause condensation. It also has a function to prevent.

When the condenser 102 is configured as described above, even when the ability of the first condenser 124 exposed to the atmosphere is reduced due to accumulation of dust or the like, the ability of the second condenser 125 as the condenser 102 is reduced. Therefore, it is possible to maintain the cooling cycle unit 110 over a long period of time without requiring maintenance in order to secure the capacity of the cooling cycle unit 110.

Moreover, since the dew condensation of the opening part of a freezer compartment can be prevented, the fall of the sealing performance of the 2nd door 121 by frost formation can be prevented, and the energy efficiency of the refrigerator 100 can be improved or maintained. It becomes possible.

The evaporator 103 is a device that evaporates the refrigerant in the interior and absorbs the heat of the surrounding air. In the case of the present embodiment, the evaporator 103 is constituted by a first evaporator 131 and a second evaporator 132 connected in series by a connecting pipe 108. The connecting pipe 108 penetrates the back surface of the first box body 151 and the back surface of the second box body 152 and passes through the heat insulating material, and the evaporator is connected to both ends of the connecting pipe 108.

The first evaporator 131 is an evaporator connected in series with the third condenser 126 and provided on the back of the first box 151, and plays a role of cooling the inside of the first box 151. In a side-by-side refrigerator where the refrigerator compartment height and the freezer compartment height are the same, the second evaporator 132 is arranged in the freezer compartment height direction in order to cool the freezer compartment to about minus 18 ° C. Thus, the first evaporator 131 that cools the refrigerating room to a temperature higher than that of the freezing room at about 0 to 6 ° C. is not arranged higher in the height direction of the refrigerating room than the second evaporator 132. In order to ensure a large internal volume in the depth direction of the refrigerator compartment, the second evaporator 132 is smaller.

The second evaporator 132 is an evaporator connected in series with the first evaporator 131 and provided on the back of the second box 152, and plays a role of cooling the inside of the second box 152. In addition, since the 2nd evaporator 132 cools a freezer compartment, it is larger than the 1st evaporator 131. FIG.

In the case of the present embodiment, fin-and-tube heat exchangers are used for both the first evaporator 131 and the second evaporator 132, but the present invention is not limited to this, and corrugated fins and flattened parts are used. Any heat exchanger such as a heat exchanger that employs a tube can be applied.

Both the first evaporator 131 and the second evaporator 132 are configured such that the pipe meanders and bends a plurality of times, and an inlet and an outlet for refrigerant inflow are arranged at the upper part of the evaporator.

As described above, the first evaporator 131 for cooling the first box 151 (refrigeration room) and the second evaporator 132 for cooling the second box 152 (freezer room) are separated. By providing, it becomes possible to perform cooling suitable for each set temperature zone.

In particular, when a vertically long freezer compartment as in the present embodiment is provided, it is necessary to provide an evaporator having sufficient cooling capacity in order to reduce the temperature difference in the vertical direction of the freezer compartment. However, if such an evaporator is in the back of the refrigerator compartment, the refrigerator compartment may be excessively cooled, and it is necessary to sufficiently insulate the refrigerator compartment from the evaporator. In this case, the capacity of the refrigerator compartment is pressed by the heat insulating material. Therefore, as in the present invention, the first evaporator 131 suitable for cooling the refrigerator compartment is provided at the back of the first box 151 (refrigerator compartment), and the freezer compartment is provided at the back of the second box 152 (freezer compartment). By providing the second evaporator 132 suitable for uniform cooling, the capacity of the refrigerator compartment can be increased.

The blower 141 is a device that can generate an air flow, and in the case of the present embodiment, an axial fan is employed. Further, the blower 141 is disposed upright in the machine room 120 and between the first condenser 124 and the compressor 101. The blower 141 is arranged in a direction that can create a flow of air from the first condenser 124 toward the compressor 101.

As a result, air flows from the first condenser 124 to the compressor 101, that is, from the low temperature side to the high temperature side, so that the heat of the compressor 101 flows to the first condenser 124, the switching valve 106, and the valve 107. It is possible to reduce the influences as much as possible. Further, since the axial fan can be reduced in thickness, it can be accommodated in a narrow space of the machine room 120.

The switching valve 106 is a three-way valve that selects whether to supply the refrigerant from the third condenser 126 to the first evaporator 131 or to supply the refrigerant directly from the third condenser 126 to the second evaporator 132. It is arranged in the same space as the machine 101 and the condenser 102.

The switching valve 106 is disposed inside the machine room 120 for assembly and maintenance of the refrigerator 100. In the present embodiment, the switching valve 106 is disposed upstream of the first condenser 124 with respect to the air flow created by the blower 141. That is, there is no device that releases heat upstream of the switching valve 106, and the switching valve 106 is attached to a position considered to be the lowest temperature in the machine room 120.

This is because the switching valve 106 switches the flow path of the refrigerant immediately before flowing into the first evaporator 131 or the second evaporator 132 and is not easily affected by the heat of the first condenser 124 or the compressor 101. The ease of assembly and maintenance of the refrigerator 100 can be ensured while suppressing a reduction in the capacity of the cooling cycle unit 110.

The first capillary 160 connected to the first evaporator 131 and the second capillary 161 connected to the second evaporator 132 are connected to the downstream side of the switching valve 106 in a switchable manner.

The valve 107 is a valve that is connected to the water supply and selects between supplying the tap water to the refrigerator 100 and shutting off the tap water. The valve 107 is disposed inside the machine room 120 for assembly and maintenance of the refrigerator 100. In the case of the present embodiment, the valve 107 is disposed upstream of the first condenser 124 with respect to the air flow created by the blower 141. That is, there is no device that releases heat upstream of the valve 107, and the valve 107 is attached to a position that is considered to be the lowest temperature in the machine room 120.

The valve 107 is a device that constitutes the water cooling device 114. Here, the water cooling device 114 is a device connected to the water pipe 116, and the supply port 123 supplies the tap water cooled by the first evaporator 131, or water is supplied to an automatic ice maker (not shown). It is a device for supplying.

The bypass pipe 105 is connected between the switching valve 106 and the second capillary 161 and directly connects the third condenser 126 and the second evaporator 132 via the switching valve 106. Here, the direct connection means that the refrigerant is not introduced into the second evaporator 132 via the first evaporator 131, but instead bypasses the first evaporator 131 from the switching valve 106 and directly enters the second evaporator 132. Indicates that

Although the bypass pipe 105 connecting the pipe is provided between the switching valve 106 and the second capillary 161, the second capillary 161 may be directly connected to the switching valve 106.

Although the refrigerant | coolant employ | adopted for the cooling cycle unit 110 of the refrigerator 100 is not specifically limited, For example, a hydrocarbon type refrigerant | coolant can be illustrated.

Here, the hydrocarbon-based refrigerant is, for example, propane or isobutane. These are preferable because they have very little influence on global warming compared to hydrochlorofluorocarbons and hydrofluorocarbons.

As described above, the second evaporator 132 that cools the freezer compartment is connected in series downstream of the first evaporator 131 that cools the refrigerator compartment, and the refrigerant flow path is further switched by the switching valve 106 so that the second downstream side is switched. By constructing a cooling cycle in which the refrigerant can flow only to the evaporator 132, when the refrigerator compartment and the freezer compartment are not cooled to the set temperature, the switching valve 106 is switched so that the refrigerant flows through both evaporators. When the cycle is controlled and the refrigerator compartment reaches a set temperature, the second evaporator 132 that cools only the freezer compartment by switching the switching valve 106 so that the refrigerant does not flow to the first evaporator 131 that cools the refrigerator compartment. It becomes possible to control the cooling cycle through which the refrigerant flows only.

When the freezer reaches the set temperature, the compressor 101 is stopped. This makes it possible to select introduction of the refrigerant into the first evaporator 131 while maintaining introduction of the refrigerant into the second evaporator 132. Thereby, even when the second evaporator 132 is continuously operated for a long time so that temperature unevenness does not occur in the second box body 152 (freezer compartment) that is long in the vertical direction, the first box body 151 (refrigerator room). It is possible to perform control suitable for the first evaporator 131.

Further, since the first evaporator 131 and the second evaporator 132 can be arranged in the left-right direction, the length of the connecting pipe 108 that connects the first evaporator 131 and the second evaporator 132 is shortened. Therefore, when the refrigerant is introduced into both the first evaporator 131 and the second evaporator 132 by the switching valve 106, the cooling loss in the connection pipe 108 can be reduced, and the second evaporator 132 can be reduced. The cooling efficiency of the flammable refrigerant can be increased, the amount of the combustible refrigerant can be reduced, and the explosion-proof property can be improved.

Further, by disposing the first evaporator 131 below the refrigerator compartment, the distance between the first evaporator 131 and the machine room in which the compressor is disposed is reduced. Even if it leaks from the vicinity of the flammable refrigerant, the flammable refrigerant has a specific gravity greater than that of air, so that it accumulates downward, and further easily passes to the machine room where the compressor 101 is disposed through the drain pipe for draining the defrost water of the first evaporator 131. Since it can be introduced and opened from the machine room to the outside of the cabinet, it is possible to reduce the leakage of the flammable refrigerant remaining in the cabinet and increase the concentration, thereby improving the explosion-proof property.

When the flammable refrigerant leaks from the second evaporator 132, the leaked refrigerant can be discharged into the machine room through the drain pipe in the same manner as described above, and the leaked refrigerant can be prevented from staying in the cabinet. Explosion proof can be improved.

As described above, the first evaporator 131 and the second evaporator 132 are disposed below the refrigerator compartment and the freezer compartment, respectively, so that the lower ends of both the evaporators 103 are arranged so that the heights thereof are roughly aligned. Although the discharge | emission property from the inside of a store | warehouse | chamber to the exterior was improved through the chamber, the position of the 1st evaporator 131 shorter than the 2nd evaporator 132 is raised upwards, and the height of the upper end part of both evaporators 103 is roughly You may arrange | position so that it may align.

As a result, the connecting pipe 108 that connects the refrigerant outlet portion of the first evaporator 131 and the refrigerant inlet portion of the second evaporator 132 is connected between the first evaporator 131 and the second evaporator 132 substantially horizontally. The piping distance of the connecting pipe 108 can be minimized, and when the switching valve 106 is switched and the refrigerant flows through the first evaporator 131 and the second evaporator 132, the cooling loss in the connecting pipe 108 is further reduced. And the amount of the combustible refrigerant can be further reduced.

By adopting the refrigerator 100 having the above configuration, the overall energy efficiency can be increased, and it is possible to contribute to energy saving.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the evaporating dish.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing, in section, the state of attachment of the evaporating dish to the compressor.

The evaporating dish 140 is a container that stores and evaporates defrosted water (condensed water) collected from the cooling cycle unit 110 (particularly, the first evaporator 131 and the second evaporator 132), and is a rectangular box that opens upward. Is the body. The evaporating dish 140 is provided between the second box 152 and the compressor 101 and includes a concave portion 143 that contacts the upper surface of the compressor 101 from the side surface. Further, the evaporating dish 140 includes an inclined portion 145 that guides the air flow flowing above the compressor 101 to the compressor 101. Further, an introduction hole 147 for introducing an air flow into the evaporating dish 140 and promoting evaporation of defrosted water in the evaporating dish 140 is provided in an intermediate part of the inclined part 145.

Thereby, by the inclined portion 145 of the evaporating dish 140, most of the air flow created by the blower 141 comes into contact with the surface of the compressor 101, and the compressor 101 can be efficiently cooled.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the lower back with a part seen through from the back of the refrigerator.

As shown in the figure, inside the refrigerator 100, a guide water channel 133, which is a tube for guiding the defrost water generated from the first evaporator 131 to the evaporating dish 140, is provided. In addition, a second guide water channel 134 that is a tube that guides the defrosted water generated from the second evaporator 132 to the evaporating dish 140 is also provided.

As a result, defrost water generated in the defrosting process for melting the frost attached to the evaporator 103 by the heaters attached to the first evaporator 131 and the second evaporator 132 is the guide water channel 133 and the second guide water channel 134. And the defrost water can be concentrated inside the evaporating dish 140.

According to the refrigerator 100 described above, the cooling cycle unit 110 is configured such that the compressor 101 is disposed below the second box 152 forming the freezer compartment, and the first condensation is performed below the first box 151 forming the refrigerator compartment. The second condenser 125 is disposed on the outer side wall of the first box 151. Therefore, since the piping connecting them can be shortened, the energy efficiency of the cooling cycle unit 110 can be improved. In addition, since the piping is straight even when the refrigerator 100 is assembled, it can be easily assembled.

Moreover, since the height of the compressor 101 is lower than the first condenser 124 arranged in the machine room 120, the second box 152 and the compressor 101 can be connected without sacrificing the volume of the second box 152. It is possible to expand the space sufficiently. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the influence of the heat generated from the compressor 101 on the second box 152. Furthermore, since there is a space between the second box 152 and the compressor 101, the evaporating dish 140 can be disposed in the space. Thereby, it becomes possible to further suppress the influence of heat of the compressor 101.

The present invention can be used for a refrigerator for home use or for business use, and can be used for a refrigerator in which a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment are arranged adjacent to each other in the left-right direction.

Claims

A first box that has an opening on the front and forms a refrigerator compartment, a second box that has an opening on the front and forms a freezer compartment, and the first box that is adjacent to the left and right direction And a metal outer box that covers the second box,
A compressor disposed below the second box;
A first condenser connected to the compressor, disposed below the first box and directly exchanging heat with air;
A second condenser connected to the first condenser and arranged between the first box and the outer box to exchange heat with air via the outer box;
A refrigerator comprising an evaporator connected to the second condenser and evaporating the refrigerant.
further,
The refrigerator of Claim 1 provided with the air blower which is arrange | positioned between the said compressor and said 1st condenser, and generate | occur | produces the air flow which cools the said compressor and said 1st condenser.
The evaporator is
A first evaporator connected to the second condenser and disposed on the back of the first box;
A second evaporator connected in series with the first evaporator and disposed on the back of the second box,
The refrigerator further includes
A bypass pipe connecting the second condenser and the second evaporator without going through the first evaporator;
A switching valve for selecting whether to supply the refrigerant from the second condenser to the first evaporator or to supply the refrigerant directly from the second condenser to the second evaporator. The refrigerator described.
The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein the switching valve is disposed on the side where the first condenser is disposed with respect to the blower.
further,
A water cooling device having a valve that is connected to the water supply and selects between supply of the tap water to the refrigerator and shut-off of the tap water,
The said valve | bulb is a refrigerator of Claim 2 arrange | positioned with respect to the said air blower at the side by which the 1st condenser is arrange | positioned.
The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the direction of the air flow generated by the blower is a direction from the second condenser toward the compressor.
further,
An evaporating dish for storing and evaporating defrost water generated by an evaporator,
The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising an evaporating dish that is disposed between the second box and the compressor and includes a recess that contacts the upper surface to the side surface of the compressor.
further,
A blower disposed between the compressor and the first condenser and generating an air flow for cooling the compressor and the first condenser;
The refrigerator according to claim 7, wherein the evaporating dish includes an inclined portion that guides an air flow flowing above the compressor to the compressor.
The evaporator is
A first evaporator connected to the second condenser and disposed on the back of the first box;
A second evaporator connected to the first evaporator and disposed on the back of the second box;
The refrigerator further includes
The refrigerator according to claim 7 or 8, further comprising a guide water channel that guides the defrost water generated from the first evaporator to the evaporating dish.
The refrigerator according to claim 7, wherein a height of the compressor is lower than a height of the first condenser.