Refrigeration – Processes – Transferring heat between diverse function portions of...
Utility Patent
1999-09-08
2001-01-02
Tanner, Harry B. (Department: 3744)
Refrigeration
Processes
Transferring heat between diverse function portions of...
C062S180000, C062S186000, C062S197000, C062S513000
Utility Patent
active
06167712
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for controlling a refrigerator having a direction control valve. More particularly, it relates to a method for controlling a refrigerator having a direction control valve, which drives a refrigerating fan for a predetermined time when a refrigerant passage is converted to make a refrigerant from a condenser firstly pass a refrigerating evaporator, and enhances a cooling efficiency by applying a residual cool air of the refrigerating evaporator to a refrigerating compartment, after the refrigerating compartment reaches a steady state in a refrigerator having a refrigerating evaporator embodied as an intercooler evaporator.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Generally, a refrigerator having two evaporators includes two cooling fans for discharging a cool air generated from the evaporators into a freezing compartment and a refrigerating compartment, and a compressor mounted to a lower part of the refrigerator. One of the two cooling fans is mounted in the freezing compartment, and the other one is mounted in the refrigerating compartment. Particularly, a refrigerator having an intercooler refrigerator is as follows.
The refrigerator having an intercooler refrigerator includes: a compressor, a condenser, a first evaporator for cooling a freezing compartment, a second evaporator being an intercooler evaporator for cooling a refrigerating compartment, a first expansion device disposed between the condenser and the first evaporator, a second expansion device disposed between the first evaporator and the second evaporator, a freezing fan for discharging a cool air generated from the first evaporator to a freezing compartment, a refrigerating fan for discharging a cool air generated from the second evaporator to a refrigerating compartment, and a direction control valve selectively directs a refrigerant discharged from the condenser to the first evaporator or the second evaporator. Here, the first evaporator and the second evaporator are connected in series by a refrigerant tube, thereby making a closed loop.
In the aforementioned refrigerator having an intercooler evaporator, a quick cooling operation is firstly performed when initially driving the refrigerator. For the quick cooling operation, a refrigerant passage is formed to make the refrigerant discharged from the condenser sequentially pass the first evaporator and the second evaporator. After that, a refrigerating compartment reaches a steady state, the refrigerant passage is changed to another refrigerant passage which is formed to make the refrigerant discharged from the condenser firstly pass the second evaporator (i.e., an intercooler evaporator) and then pass the first evaporator.
At this time, in the second evaporator being an intercooler evaporator, a heat exchange between a low temperature refrigerant discharged from the first evaporator and a high temperature refrigerant discharged from the condenser occurs, a cooling capacity of the second evaporator gradually disappears. Likewise, As soon as a refrigerant passage directs the second evaporator by switching the direction control valve, the refrigerator stops driving the refrigerating fan.
As a result, a residual cool air remained in the second evaporator during a predetermined time after switching the direction control valve is not used to a cooling cycle, becomes disappeared with the lapse of time, thereby decreasing a cooling efficiency.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a method for controlling a refrigerator having a direction control valve, that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a method for controlling a refrigerator having a direction control valve which drives a refrigerating fan for a predetermined time when a refrigerant passage is converted to make a refrigerant from a condenser firstly pass a refrigerating evaporator, and enhances a cooling efficiency by applying a residual cool air of the refrigerating evaporator to a refrigerating compartment, after the refrigerating compartment reaches a steady state in a refrigerator having a refrigerating evaporator embodied as an intercooler evaporator.
To achieve the above objective, in a control method for a refrigerator including a compressor, a condenser, a freezing compartment temperature sensor and a refrigerating compartment temperature sensor, a freezing evaporator, a refrigerating evaporator being an intercooler evaporator, a freezing fan and a refrigerating fan, and a direction control valve for selectively directing a refrigerant discharged from the condenser to the first evaporator or the second evaporator, the control method for the refrigerator includes the steps of:
(a) determining whether a refrigerating compartment temperature sensed by the refrigerating compartment temperature sensor reaches a refrigerating compartment set temperature to determine a steady state of the refrigerating compartment;
(b) if it is determined that the steady state of the refrigerating compartment in the step (a), switching the direction control valve, and allowing a refrigerant to firstly pass the refrigerating evaporator;
(c) if the direction control valve is switched in the step (b), driving the refrigerating fan for a predetermined time simultaneously driving the freezing fan; and
(d) after the refrigerating fan is driven for the predetermined time in the step (c), stopping the refrigerating fan.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4726160 (1988-02-01), Kawaguchi et al.
patent: 5142880 (1992-09-01), Bellis
patent: 5228307 (1993-07-01), Koce
patent: 5406805 (1995-04-01), Radermacher et al.
patent: 5743100 (1998-04-01), Welguisz et al.
patent: 5960642 (1999-10-01), Kim et al.
Baek Kyong-Jun
Kim Joong-Yeob
Kim Yoon-Young
Kim Young-Rak
Lee Jang-Hee
Larson & Taylor PLC
Samsung Electronics Co,. Ltd.
Tanner Harry B.
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