Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10837699-B2
Application number	US-201816046594-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 26, 2018
Priority date	Aug 25, 2017
Publication date	Nov 17, 2020
Grant date	Nov 17, 2020

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a control module which controls a first compressor, a second compressor, a first fan, a second fan, and a third fan, in which the control module performs a high-temperature initial simultaneous operation when the outside air temperature is at the outside air set temperature or more, performs a high-temperature initial alternation operation when the freezing compartment temperature is at the freezing compartment set temperature or less and the refrigerating compartment temperature is at the refrigerating compartment set temperature or less during the high-temperature initial simultaneous operation. The control module drives the first compressor and the second compressor together during the high-temperature initial simultaneous operation, and alternately drives the first compressor and the second compressor during the high-temperature initial alternation operation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a first freezing cycle device which includes a first compressor, a first condenser, a first expansion mechanism, and a first evaporator, through which a first refrigerant circulates;
a first fan which circulates cool air in a freezing compartment to the first evaporator and the freezing compartment;
a second freezing cycle device which includes a second compressor, a second condenser, a second expansion mechanism, and a second evaporator, through which a second refrigerant circulates;
a second fan which circulates cold air in a refrigerating compartment to the second evaporator and the refrigerating compartment;
a third fan which blows outside air to the first condenser and the second condenser; and
a control module which controls the first compressor, the second compressor, the first fan, the second fan, and the third fan,
wherein the control module
performs a high-temperature initial simultaneous operation when an outside air temperature is at an outside air set temperature or more, and
finishes the high-temperature initial simultaneous operation and performs a high-temperature initial alternation operation when a freezing compartment temperature is not at a freezing compartment set temperature or less, and a refrigerating compartment temperature is at a refrigerating compartment set temperature or less during the high-temperature initial simultaneous operation, and

wherein the control module
drives the first compressor and the second compressor together and drives each of the first fan, the second fan, and the third fan during the high-temperature initial simultaneous operation, and
alternately drives the first compressor and the second compressor during the high-temperature initial alternation operation,

wherein the outside air set temperature is higher than the freezing compartment set temperature and the refrigerating compartment set temperature,
wherein the control module
alternately performs a freezing compartment single operation in which the first compressor is driven for a first set time and a refrigerating compartment single operation in which the second compressor is driven for a second set time during the high-temperature initial alternation operation, and

wherein the first set time is longer than the second set time.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1 ,
wherein the control module
controls the first compressor to a maximum freezing capacity and controls the second compressor to a set freezing capacity which is lower than the maximum freezing capacity, during the high-temperature initial simultaneous operation, and
controls the first compressor to the maximum freezing capacity and controls the second compressor to the maximum freezing capacity, during the high-temperature initial alternation operation.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 1 ,
wherein the control module
drives each of the first fan, the second fan, and the third fan at a first set operation rate which is lower than a highest operation rate, during the high-temperature initial simultaneous operation, and
drives the first fan at the first set operation rate when the first compressor is driven, drives the second fan at the first set operation rate when the second compressor is driven, and drives the third fan at the first set operation rate, during the high-temperature initial alternation operation.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 1 ,
wherein the control module
performs a high-temperature general simultaneous operation when the freezing compartment temperature falls into the freezing compartment set temperature or less and the freezing compartment temperature is at a freezing compartment upper limit temperature or the refrigerating compartment temperature is at a refrigerating compartment upper limit temperature during the high-temperature initial simultaneous operation or during the high-temperature initial alternation operation, and

wherein the control module drives the first compressor and the second compressor together and drives each of the first fan, the second fan, and the third fan, during a high-temperature general simultaneous operation,
wherein the freezing compartment upper limit temperature and the refrigerating compartment upper limit temperature are set to be lower than the freezing compartment set temperature.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 4 ,
wherein the control module
controls the first compressor to a maximum freezing capacity and controls the second compressor to a set freezing capacity which is lower than the maximum freezing capacity, during the high-temperature initial simultaneous operation, and
controls the first compressor to the maximum freezing capacity and controls the second compressor to the maximum freezing capacity, during the high-temperature general simultaneous operation.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 4 ,
wherein the control module
drives each of the first fan, the second fan, and the third fan at a first set operation rate which is lower than a highest operation rate during the high-temperature initial simultaneous operation, and
drives each of the first fan, the second fan, and the third fan at a second set operation rate which is lower than the first set operation rate, during the high-temperature general simultaneous operation.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 1 ,
wherein the control module performs a high-temperature general alternation operation when the freezing compartment temperature is at the freezing compartment set temperature or less, the freezing compartment temperature is lower than a freezing compartment upper limit temperature and the refrigerating compartment is lower than a refrigerating compartment upper limit temperature, during the high-temperature initial simultaneous operation or during high-temperature initial alternation operation,
wherein the control module, during the high-temperature general alternation operation,
alternately drives the first compressor and the second compressor,
drives the first fan when the first compressor is driven,
drives the second fan when the second compressor is driven, and
drives the third fan.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 7 ,
wherein the control module
controls the first compressor to a maximum freezing capacity and controls the second compressor to a set freezing capacity which is lower than the maximum freezing capacity, during the high-temperature initial simultaneous operation, and
controls the first compressor to the maximum freezing capacity and controls the second compressor to the maximum freezing capacity, during the high-temperature general alternation operation.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 7 ,
wherein the control module
drives each of the first fan, the second fan, and the third fan at a first set operation rate which is lower than a highest operation rate during the high-temperature initial simultaneous operation, and
drives each of the first fan, the second fan, and the third fan at a second set operation rate which is lower than the first set operation rate, during the high-temperature general alternation operation.

10. The refrigerator according to claim 7 ,
wherein the high-temperature general alternation operation continues until the freezing compartment temperature falls into a freezing compartment satisfaction range and the refrigerating compartment temperature falls into a refrigerating compartment satisfaction range.

11. The refrigerator according to claim 10 ,
wherein the control module turns on the first compressor and the first fan to cool the freezing compartment if the refrigerating compartment temperature is in the re

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• RYU Heekwon
• Chae Sunam

Classifications

• F25D2700/14

  Sensors measuring the temperature outside the refrigerator or freezer · CPC title

• F25B49/02

  for compression type machines, plants or systems · CPC title

• F25D2600/02

  Timing · CPC title

• F25D29/00 Primary

  Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices · CPC title

• F25D2700/12

  Sensors measuring the inside temperature · CPC title