Method for controlling supply of refrigerant to evaporators in a refrigerator by preventing unequal distribution using a flow valve based on a temperature of each evaporator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9816741-B2
Application number	US-201414531065-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 3, 2014
Priority date	Nov 4, 2013
Publication date	Nov 14, 2017
Grant date	Nov 14, 2017

Abstract

A refrigerator and a method for controlling a refrigerator are provided. The method may include driving a refrigerating cycle including a first evaporator and a second evaporator by activating at least one compressor, supplying refrigerant to the first and second evaporators by controlling a flow adjuster, recognizing whether the refrigerant is unequally introduced into the first or second evaporator, by sensing a temperature of the first or second evaporator through at least one temperature sensor, reducing supply of the refrigerant to the first or second evaporator into which the refrigerant is unequally introduced, by adjusting the flow adjuster, storing information about an operation time of the flow adjuster, recognizing whether the at least one temperature sensor has malfunctioned, and determining an operation time of the flow adjuster according to whether the at least one temperature sensor has malfunctioned.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for controlling a refrigerator, the method comprising:
driving a refrigterating cycle including a first evaporator and a second evaporator by activating a compressor;
supplying refrigerant to the first and second, evaporators by controlling a flow adjuster;
recognizing whether the refrigerant is unequally introduced into one of the first or second evaporator, by sensing a temperature of the refrigerant of the first or second evaporator using at least one temperature sensor;
reducing supply of the refrigerant to the one of fhe first or second evaporators into which the refrigerant is unequally introduced, by adjusting the flow adjuster;
storing information about an operation time of the flow adjuster;
recognizing whether the at least one temperature sensor has malfunctioned according to whether a temperature value sensed by the at least one temperature sensor is outside of an allowable range; and
determining an operation time of the flow adjuster according to whether the at least one temperature sensor has malfunctioned, wherein the refrigerator further includes;
first, second, and third refrigerant passages, wherein the first and third refrigerant passages are configured to guide introduction of the refrigerant into the first evaporator and the second refrigerant passage is configured to guide introduction of the refrigerant into the second evaporator; and
first, second, and third expansion devices installed in the first, second, and third refrigerant passages, respectively, wherein when it is recognized that the at least one temperature sensor has not malfunctioned,the flow adjuster is controlled such that;
the first, second, and third refrigerant passages are opened for a first predetermined period of time to allow a flow rate of the refrigerant supplied into the first evaporator to increase, and then,
the first, the second refrigerant passages are opened and the third refrigerant passage is closed for a second predetermined period of time to allow a flow rate of the refrigerant, supplied into the first evaporator to increase.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein when it is recognized that the at least one temperature sensor has malfunctioned, an operation time of the flow adjuster is determined based on the stored information about the operation time of the flow adjuster.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first predetermined period of time and the second predetermined period of time are mapped onto vaules which are different according to both an outer temperature condition of the refrigerator and state Information of a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein, the state information of the refrigerator compartment and the freezer compartment comprises at least one of information about a cooling activation state in which activation of the compressor starts; information about a load reaction state temperature of the refrigerator compartment or the freezer compartment increases to to be equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature; or information about a state in which the refrigerator compartment and the freezer compartment are simultaneously cooled.

5. The method according claim 1 , wherein whether the first or the second predeterrnined period of time is changed is determined based on information about a difference between an inlet temperature and an outlet temperature of the first evaporator or a difference between an inlet temperature and an outlet temperature of the second evaporator, and wherein the flow adjuster is controlled such that flow rates of the refrigerant supplied to the first evaporator and the second evaporator are changed according to the changed first or second predetermined period of time.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the information about the operation time of the flow adjuster comprises operation time information of the flow adjuster operated according to the first or the second predetermined period of time, and single operation time information of the first evaporator or the second evaporator, or time information, based on which an operation of the compressor is turned off.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein when it is recognized that the at least one temperature sensor has not malfunctioned, the flow adjuster is controlled to switch to a first adjustment state in which supply of the refrigerant to the first evaporator is increased, or a second adjustment state in which supply of the refrigerant to the second evaporator is increased, according to inlet and outlet, temperatures of the first evaporator or the second evaporator.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the information about the operation time of the flow adjuster comprises time information, based on which the first adjustment state of the flow adjuster is maintained, and time information, based on which the second adjustment state of the flow adjuster is maintained.

9. The method according to claim 5 , wherein when it is recognized that the refrigerant is concentrated into the first evaporator, the flow adjuster is controlled such that flow rate of the refrigerant supplied to the second evaporator is increased by fixing the first predetermined period time and increasing the second predetermined period of time.

10. The method according to claim 5 , wherein when it is recognized that the refrigerant is concentrated into the second evaporator, the flow adjuster is controlled such that flow rate of the refrigerant supplied to the second evaporator is increased by fixing the first predetermined period time and decreasing the second predetermined period of time.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Lee Sangbong
• Lee Jangseok
• Lim Hyoungkeun
• Chung Myungjin

Classifications

• F25B2600/0251

  with on-off operation · CPC title

• F25B2700/2117

  of an evaporator · CPC title

• F25D29/00 Primary

  Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices · CPC title

• F25B2600/2507

  Flow-diverting valves · CPC title

• F25B49/02 Primary

  for compression type machines, plants or systems · CPC title