Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10145600-B2
Application number	US-201715405056-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 12, 2017
Priority date	Jan 14, 2016
Publication date	Dec 4, 2018
Grant date	Dec 4, 2018

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a main body including a freezing-compartment inner case forming a freezing compartment and a refrigerating-compartment inner case forming a refrigerating compartment, and a heat transfer module including a thermosiphon part having a portion provided in the freezing-compartment inner case and another portion provided in the refrigerating-compartment inner case and having a closed loop in which working fluid for transferring heat flows and a heating member coupled to one side of the thermosiphon part to heat the working fluid. Other configurations are possible.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a main body comprising a freezer compartment and a refrigeration compartment;
a cooling cycle connected to an evaporator of the freezer compartment; and
a heat transfer module comprising a thermosiphon part having a first portion disposed in the freezer compartment and a second portion disposed in the refrigeration compartment, and a heating member attached to a side of the thermosiphon part and configured to heat the working fluid;
wherein the heat transfer module comprises a closed loop configured to let working fluid for transferring heat flow in the closed loop by the heating member,
wherein the heating member is configured to operate to prevent circulation of working fluid when power is normally supplied to normally perform the cooling cycle.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the thermosiphon part includes:
a condensation pipe to condense the working fluid by cool air of the freezer compartment;
an evaporation pipe to absorb heat from the cool air of the refrigeration compartment and evaporate the heat transfer fluid;
a first connection pipe connecting an outlet of the evaporation pipe and an inlet of the condensation pipe so that the working fluid evaporated in the evaporation pipe flows into the condensation pipe; and
a second connection pipe connecting an outlet of the condensation pipe and an inlet of the evaporation pipe so that the working fluid condensed in the condensation pipe flows into the evaporation pipe.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 2 , wherein the heating member includes a coil heater that at least partially surrounds an outer circumferential surface of the second connection pipe.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 2 , wherein the heating member is coupled to the second connection pipe and is disposed proximate to a lower end of the second connection pipe.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 2 , wherein the thermosiphon part is disposed at an outer surface or an inner surface of the main body.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 2 , further comprising at least one of:
a heat transfer plate provided between the condensation pipe and the freezer compartment; and
a heat transfer plate provided between the evaporation pipe and the refrigeration compartment.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 2 , further comprising at least one of:
a cold-storage material provided between the condensation pipe and the freezer compartment; and
a cold-storage material provided between the evaporation pipe and the refrigeration compartment.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a first backdraft prevention pipe provided at an inlet side of the condensation pipe and rounded in an upward direction relative to the ground; and
a second backdraft prevention pipe provided at an inlet side of the evaporation pipe and rounded in a downward direction.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 2 ,
wherein the condensation pipe is provided on any one of a left side
surface, a right side surface, or a rear surface of the freezer compartment, and
wherein the evaporation pipe is provided on any one of a left side surface, a right side surface, or a rear surface of the refrigeration compartment.

10. The refrigerator according to claim 2 , wherein at least one of the condensation pipe and the evaporation pipe is formed having a plurality of bends.

11. The refrigerator according to claim 2 ,
wherein the condensation pipe is provided on an upper surface or a lower surface of the freezer compartment, and
wherein the evaporation pipe is provided on an upper surface or a lower surface of the refrigeration compartment.

12. The refrigerator according to claim 11 , wherein at least one of the condensation pipe and the evaporation pipe is formed having a plurality of bends.

13. The refrigerator according to claim 11 , wherein the evaporation pipe is formed having a plurality of bends and is provided to at least partially surround a left side surface, a right side surface, and a rear surface of the refrigeration compartment.

14. The refrigerator according to claim 13 , wherein the evaporation pipe extends in a horizontal direction along one of the left and right side surfaces, a rear surface, and the other of the left and right side surfaces of the refrigeration compartment, then bends in a vertical direction, and then extends in the horizontal direction along the other of the left and right side surfaces, the rear surface, and the one of the left and right side surfaces of the refrigeration compartment.

15. The refrigerator according to claim 13 , wherein the inlet of the evaporation pipe is located at a lower end of the refrigeration compartment and the outlet of the evaporation pipe is located at an upper end of the refrigeration compartment.

16. A refrigerator comprising:
a refrigeration compartment;
a freezer compartment;
a cooling cycle connected to an evaporator of the freezer compartment;
a thermosiphon cycle separated from the cooling cycle and connected to an evaporation pipe of the refrigeration compartment and a condensation pipe provided adjacent to the evaporator of the freezer compartment; and
a heater for heating a refrigerant, the heater being disposed between the evaporation pipe and the condensation pipe, and being arranged to at least partially surround a connection pipe,
wherein power is supplied to the heater upon normal operation of the refrigerator, and wherein, upon a power failure, power is not supplied to the heater so that the refrigeration compartment is cooled by circulation of the refrigerant in the thermosiphon cycle,
wherein the heater is configured to operate to prevent circulation of working fluid when power is normally supplied to normally perform the cooling cycle.

17. The refrigerator according to claim 16 , wherein the thermosiphon cycle includes:
a condensation pipe that condenses the refrigerant via cool air of the freezer compartment;
an evaporation pipe that absorbs heat from cool air of the refrigeration compartment and evaporates the refrigerant;
a first connection pipe connecting an outlet of the evaporation pipe and an inlet of the condensation pipe so that the refrigerant evaporated in the evaporation pipe flows in the condensation pipe; and
a second connection pipe connecting an outlet of the condensation pipe and an inlet of the evaporation pipe so that the refrigerant condensed in the condensation pipe flows in the evaporation pipe.

18. The refrigerator according to claim 17 , wherein the heater includes a coil heater provided to at least partially surround an outer circumferential surface of the second connection pipe.

19. The refrigerator according to claim 17 , wherein the heater is coupled to the second connection pipe and is disposed proximate to a lower end of the second connection pipe.

20. The refrigerator according to claim 16 , further comprising:
a main body comprising a freezing-compartment inner case forming the freezer compartment and a refrigerating-compartment inner case forming the refrigeration compartment,
wherein the thermosiphon cycle is disposed on an outer surface or an inner surface of the main body.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Yun Seokjun
• Seo Changho
• Park Sanggoo
• Goyal Rajat

Classifications

• F25D23/066

  Liners · CPC title

• F25D11/025 Primary

  using primary and secondary refrigeration systems · CPC title

• F25D29/006

  Safety devices · CPC title

• F25D23/00

  General constructional features (F25D21/00 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F25D2400/02

  Refrigerators including a heater · CPC title