A REFRIGERATOR SUITABLE TO BE USED IN COLD AMBIENT CONDITIONS

Abstract

 Refrigerator (1) comprising a fresh food compartment (2) wherein the foodstuff is cooled and stored, a freezer compartment (3) in which the foodstuff is frozen and stored, a compressor (4) performing the refrigeration cycle, a condenser (5), a first evaporator (6) which cools the freezer compartment (3), a second evaporator (7) which cools the fresh food compartment (2), an expansion member (8) provided between the condenser (5) and the first evaporator (6), a refrigerant line (9) which enables the refrigerant fluid to be transferred, and a heating tube (10) enabling the fresh food compartment (2) to be heated at low ambient temperatures.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a refrigerator wherein the foodstuff in the fresh food compartment is prevented from freezing when the ambient temperature is low.

[0002] In cases when the ambient temperature is low, for example in cold ambient conditions where the temperature drops below 5 °C, the temperature of the fresh food compartment may drop below 0 °C and the foodstuff may freeze. Furthermore, when the ambient temperature is between -15 °C and +5 °C, the temperature of the freezer compartment is expected to be below -15 °C under old ambient conditionsi In the refrigerator, the cooling system operates to cool the freezer compartment but since the refrigerant passes through the evaporator in the fresh food compartment, and the refrigeration system try to cool the fresh food compartment which is already cooler than normal due to the ambient conditions. Thus, in cold environments, the fresh food compartment may have to be heated. In some embodiments, an electrical heater is operated in the fresh food compartment. In this case, energy is consumed both to cool and to heat the fresh food compartment, and the electricity consumption increases.

[0003] The International Patent Application No. WO2004020920 (A1) relates to a refrigerator which operates in low temperature environments and a control method thereof.

[0004] The International Patent Application No. WO2016071051 (A1) relates to a refrigerator which operates in low temperature environments. In the refrigerator, a heater is provided on the refrigerant tube, and the heater is activated or deactivated based on the changes in the ambient temperature.

[0005] The United States Patent No. US7191827 (B2) relates to a refrigerator which is adapted to operate in low ambient temperature.

[0006] The aim of the present invention is the realization of a refrigerator wherein the foodstuff in the fresh food compartment is prevented from freezing in low ambient temperature conditions.

[0007] The refrigerator realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention comprises a heating tube which is provided in the fresh food compartment and which is connected to the refrigerant line, and through which the refrigerant fluid which is in gas form and at high temperature leaving the compressor and separated partially from refrigerant line by means of a solenoid valve and a branch line flows, and which enables the fresh food compartment to be heated and preventing the foodstuff from being frozen at low ambient temperatures, for example between -15 °C and +5 °C.

[0008] In the refrigerator of the present invention, the ambient temperature is detected by means of a temperature sensor, and the control unit, upon detecting that the ambient temperature is low, activates the solenoid valve and enables the refrigerant in the form of a hot gas to be directed to the heating tube.

[0009] The refrigerator realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where:

Figure 1 - is the schematic view of a refrigerator.

Figure 2 - is the schematic view of the refrigerator refrigeration system of the present invention.

[0010] The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

1. Refrigerator

2. Fresh food compartment

3. Freezer compartment

4. Compressor

5. Condenser

6. First evaporator

7. Second evaporator

8. Expansion member

9. Refrigerant line

10. Heating tube

11. Branch line

12. Solenoid valve

13. Temperature sensor

14. Connection line

15. Flange heater

[0011] The refrigerator (1) comprises a fresh food compartment (2) wherein the foodstuff is stored at around +5 °C, a freezer compartment (3) wherein the foodstuff is frozen to be stored at around -18 °C, a compressor (4) performing the refrigeration cycle, a condenser (5), a first evaporator (6) which cools the freezer compartment (3), a second evaporator (7) which cools the fresh food compartment (2), an expansion member (8) such as a capillary tube or an expansion valve which is placed between the condenser (5) and the first evaporator (6), and a refrigerant line (9) which provides the transfer of the refrigerant fluid between the refrigeration cycle components.

[0012] The refrigerator (1) of the present invention comprises a heating tube 10)

• which is provided in the fresh food compartment (2), and
• through which the refrigerant fluid which is in gas form and at high temperature leaving the compressor (4) and separated partially from the refrigerant line (9) by means of a branch line (11) flows, and
• which enables the fresh food compartment (2) to be heated at low ambient temperatures, for example between -15 °C and +5 °C.

[0013] The refrigerator (1) comprises a solenoid valve (12) which is provided on the part of the refrigerant line (9) located at the exit of the compressor (4), which is connected to the branch line (11), and which, at low ambient temperatures, guides the refrigerant fluid which is in hot gas form leaving the compressor (4) to the heating tube (10) in the fresh food compartment (2) via the branch line (11).

[0014] The refrigerator (1) further comprises at least one temperature sensor (13) which detects the ambient temperature and/or the temperature of the fresh food compartment (2), and a control unit which enables the refrigerant in the hot gas form at the exit of the compressor (4) to be guided to the heating tube (10) by activating the solenoid valve (12) when the ambient temperature is detected to be low, for example between - 15 °C and +5 °C based on the data received from the temperature sensor (13).

[0015] In an embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerator (1) comprises a connection line (14) which enables the refrigerant fluid leaving the heating tube (10) to be delivered to the refrigerant line (9) so as to reenter the refrigeration cycle.

[0016] The refrigerant in the hot gas form which leaves the refrigerant line (9) by means of the solenoid valve (12) which is activated by the control unit when the ambient temperature is low is directed to the heating tube (10) by means of the branch line (11). The refrigerant fluid, after passing through the heating tube (10), returns to the refrigerant line (9) at the exit of the condenser (5) by means of the connection line (14). In other words, the refrigerant which leaves the refrigeration cycle returns to the refrigeration cycle after passing through the heating tube (10) and heating the fresh food compartment (2).

[0017] In another embodiment of the present invention, the heating tube (10) is connected to the refrigerant line (9) at a point between the condenser (5) and the expansion member (8) by means of the connection line (14).

[0018] In another embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerator (1) comprises a flange heater (15) which prevents condensation in the flange region where the sealing gasket contacts the body and which is composed of refrigerant fluid tubes. In this embodiment, the heating tube (10) is connected to the refrigerant line (9) from a point after said flange heater (15) by means of the connection line (14).

[0019] In the refrigerator (1), in low ambient temperatures, the foodstuff in the fresh food compartment (2) is prevented from freezing, the need for heating the fresh food compartment (2) by means of an electric heater is eliminated and the energy consumption is decreased.

Claims

1. A refrigerator (1) comprising a fresh food compartment (2), a freezer compartment (3), a compressor (4) providing the refrigeration cycle, a condenser (5), a first evaporator (6) which cools the freezer compartment (3), a second evaporator (7) which cools the fresh food compartment (2), an expansion member (8) provided between the condenser (5) and the first evaporator (6), and a refrigerant line (9), characterized by

- a heating tube (10) which is provided in the fresh food compartment (2), through which the refrigerant fluid which is in gas form and at high temperature leaving the compressor (4) and which is separated partially from the refrigerant line (9) by means of a branch line (11) flows, and which enables the fresh food compartment (2) to be heated at low ambient temperatures.

2. A refrigerator (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by a solenoid valve (12) which is provided on the part of the refrigerant line (9) located at the exit of the compressor (4), which is connected to the branch line (11), and which, at low ambient temperatures, guides the refrigerant fluid which is in hot gas form leaving the compressor (4) to the heating tube (10).

3. A refrigerator (1) as in Claim 1 or Claim 2, characterized by at least one temperature sensor (13) which detects the ambient temperature and/or the temperature of the fresh food compartment (2), and a control unit which enables the refrigerant in the hot gas form at the exit of the compressor (4) to be guided to the heating tube (10) by activating the solenoid valve (12) when the ambient temperature is detected to be low based on the data received from the temperature sensor (13).

4. A refrigerator (1) as in Claim 1 or Claim 2, characterized by a connection line (14) which enables the refrigerant fluid leaving the heating tube (10) to be delivered to the refrigerant line (9) so as to reenter the refrigeration cycle.

5. A refrigerator (1) as in Claim 4, characterized by the heating tube (10) which is connected to the refrigerant line (9) at a point between the condenser (5) and the expansion member (8) by means of the connection line (14).

Drawing