Refrigerator and operation method of the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10495368-B2
Application number	US-201815891060-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 7, 2018
Priority date	Feb 21, 2017
Publication date	Dec 3, 2019
Grant date	Dec 3, 2019

Abstract

A refrigerator includes: a compressor; an evaporator; a main condenser; a dew-prevention pipe; a bypass provided in parallel with a first channel from the main condenser to the dew-prevention pipe, and connected with the evaporator; a switching section provided on a downstream side of the main condenser, in which the switching section opens and closes the first channel, and a second channel from the main condenser to the bypass; and a control section. When defrosting the evaporator, the control section operates in such a manner that a refrigerant staying in the evaporator, the dew-prevention pipe, and the bypass is collected in the main condenser by closing the first channel and the second channel during an operation of the compressor, and thereafter, a high-pressure refrigerant collected in the main condenser is supplied to the evaporator through the bypass by stopping the compressor and opening the second channel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a compressor;
an evaporator;
a main condenser;
a dew-prevention pipe;
a bypass provided in parallel with a first channel and connected with the evaporator, the first channel being a channel from the main condenser to the dew-prevention pipe;
a switching section provided on a downstream side of the main condenser, wherein the switching section opens and closes the first channel and a second channel, the second channel being a channel from the main condenser to the bypass; and
a control section, wherein, when defrosting the evaporator, the control section operates in such a manner that a refrigerant staying in the evaporator, the dew-prevention pipe, and the bypass is collected in the main condenser by closing the first channel and the second channel during an operation of the compressor, and thereafter, a high-pressure refrigerant collected in the main condenser is supplied to the evaporator through the bypass by stopping the compressor and opening the second channel.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein:
the bypass includes a channel resistance section; and
when supplying the high-pressure refrigerant from the main condenser to the evaporator through the bypass, the control section maintains a pressure in the bypass at a pressure higher than a pressure in the dew-prevention pipe.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein:
the bypass includes a heat exchanging section that is thermally coupled with the compressor; and
when supplying the high-pressure refrigerant from the main condenser to the evaporator through the bypass, the control section heats the high pressure refrigerant by utilizing a waste heat of the compressor.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 3 , wherein, in the bypass, a channel resistance on an upstream side of the heat exchanging section is greater than a channel resistance on a downstream side of the heat exchanging section.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 4 , wherein, in the bypass, the upstream side of the heat exchanging section is configured with a capillary tube.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 4 , wherein the switching section has a throttle function capable of adjusting a caliber of the second channel.

7. An operation method of a refrigerator, the refrigerator including a compressor, an evaporator, a main condenser, and a dew-prevention pipe, wherein the refrigerator is provided with a bypass disposed in parallel with a first channel and connected with the evaporator, the first channel being a channel from the main condenser to the dew-prevention pipe, the method comprising:
when defrosting the evaporator, collecting, in the main condenser, a refrigerant staying in the evaporator, the dew-prevention pipe, and the bypass by closing the first channel and a second channel during an operation of the compressor, the second channel being a channel from the main condenser to the bypass; and
thereafter, supplying a high-pressure refrigerant collected in the main condenser to the evaporator through the bypass by stopping the compressor and opening the second channel.

Assignees

• Panasonic Corp

Inventors

• Takami Fuminori
• Sakai Hisakazu
• Horii Katsunori
• Horio Yoshimasa

Classifications

• F25D21/04 Primary

  Preventing the formation of frost or condensate · CPC title

• F25B2600/2507

  Flow-diverting valves · CPC title

• F25B47/022

  hot gas defrosting · CPC title

• F25D17/04

  for circulating air, e.g. by convection · CPC title

• F25D29/005

  Mounting of control devices · CPC title