[Technical Field]
[0001] The present invention relates to an ice maker having a refrigerant preheating unit,
and more specifically to an ice maker having a refrigerant preheating unit which is
capable of ensuring ice removal performance even in a low-temperature environment,
and a control method thereof.
[Background Art]
[0002] Generally, ice makers are devices that cool water to below 0°C, which is the freezing
point, to make ice and supply the same to the user. Such ice makers are installed
in refrigerators and ice water purifiers that require ice.
[0003] The types of ice makers include an immersion-type ice maker that makes an immersion
member in which a refrigerant flows submerge in water such that ice is created in
the immersion member, a spray-type ice maker that sprays water on an ice mold equipped
with a cooling unit such as an evaporator in which a refrigerant flows such that ice
is created in the ice mold, and a flowing-type ice maker that makes water flow through
an ice mold equipped with a cooling unit such as an evaporator in which a refrigerant
flows such that ice is created in the ice mold.
[0004] Ice created in an ice mold can be removed from the ice mold and then taken out to
the user, or can be stored in an ice storage tank and then taken out according to
the user's request.
[0005] Meanwhile, when removing the frozen ice from the ice mold, the ice mold and the ice
are separated by using a hot gas discharged from a compressor that compresses a refrigerant
or a separate heater.
[0006] Such ice makers are installed and used indoors or outdoors, but if the environment
where the ice maker is placed is a low-temperature environment in winter, it takes
time for the temperature of a hot gas compressed and discharged from the compressor
to rise, and thus, it takes a long time to remove the ice frozen in the ice mold,
which can cause user dissatisfaction.
[0007] Alternatively, if the environment where the ice maker is placed is extremely low-temperature,
the temperature of a hot gas does not rise to the temperature required to remove the
ice, and thus, not only can the ice not be removed, but also the ice is not completely
removed from the ice mold, thereby causing the ice mold to malfunction.
[0008] Korean Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-2014-0006488 discloses an ice-making evaporator in which an evaporation unit and a heating unit
are formed integrally. According to the structure, since the heat of a heating unit
consisting of an electric heater and the like is quickly conducted to the surface
of the ice-making evaporator, the ice is quickly removed even in a low-temperature
environment. However, according to this configuration, since the ice-making evaporator
experiences rapid thermal changes, there is a problem in that the durability of the
ice-making evaporator is reduced.
[0009] Korean Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-2003-0024361 discloses a hot and cold-water purifier with an ice-making device. According to the
structure, the high-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant that has passed
through the compressor is supplied as a hot gas to the ice-making evaporator. According
to this structure, since the ice-making evaporator does not experience rapid thermal
changes, there is an advantage of improved durability.
[0010] However, since a separate hot gas refrigerant flow path for removing ice that bypasses
a condenser must be formed separately from the cold-water refrigerant flow path and
the ice-making refrigerant flow path passing through the condenser, the system complexity
increases, and there is a problem in that the miniaturization of the ice-making device
is difficult.
[0011] Korean Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 10-2019-0065033,
10-2019-0102808 and
10-2020-0078891 disclose an ice-making system that supplies a high-temperature liquid refrigerant
that has passed through a condenser as a hot gas to an ice-making evaporator. According
to this structure, in addition to the advantage of improving the durability of the
ice-making evaporator, the system complexity is reduced because the cold-water refrigerant
flow path, the ice-making refrigerant flow path and the ice-removing hot gas refrigerant
flow path all pass through the condenser, and there is an advantage of contributing
to the miniaturization of the ice-making device.
[0012] However, since the temperature of a refrigerant decreases as it passes through the
condenser, the ice-removing efficiency decreases, thereby making it difficult to use
in a low-temperature environment. In addition, since the eco-friendly new refrigerant
R-600a has the characteristic of a lower temperature at the compressor discharge compared
to the existing R-134a, this structure has a problem of further decreasing the ice-removing
efficiency when applying eco-friendly new refrigerants such as R-600a.
[Related Art Documents]
[Patent Documents]
[Disclosure]
[Technical Problem]
[0014] The present invention has been devised to solve the above problems, and an object
of the present invention is to provide an ice maker having a refrigerant preheating
unit which is capable of securing a necessary ice-removing temperature while minimizing
an increase in the system complexity of the ice-removing system, and a control method
thereof.
[0015] Another object of the present invention is to provide an ice maker having a refrigerant
preheating unit which is capable of preventing ice-removing failure of the ice maker
due to an ice-removing error while minimizing user complaints by guaranteeing ice-removing
performance even in a low-temperature environment when using an eco-friendly new refrigerant,
and a control method thereof.
[0016] The problems of the present invention are not limited to the problems mentioned above,
and other tasks that are not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled
in the art from the description below.
[Technical Solution]
[0017] According to an aspect of the present invention, provided is an ice maker having
a refrigerant preheating unit, including a compressor for compressing a refrigerant;
a condenser for condensing a refrigerant discharged from a discharge end of the compressor;
an expansion unit for expanding a refrigerant condensed in the condenser; an ice-making
evaporator for evaporating a refrigerant expanded in the expansion unit to make ice;
a refrigerant flow path unit for guiding a refrigerant discharged from the compressor
to a suction end of the compressor through the condenser, the expansion unit and the
ice-making evaporator; an ice-removing refrigerant flow path unit for guiding a refrigerant
discharged from the compressor to the ice-making evaporator; a refrigerant preheating
unit for causing a refrigerant discharged from the compressor to be re-suctioned into
the compressor before passing through the condenser; and a control unit for controlling
the refrigerant preheating unit.
[0018] The refrigerant preheating unit may include a bypass flow path which is branched
from a discharge end of the compressor and is connected to a suction end of the compressor;
a bypass opening/closing valve for opening/closing the bypass flow path; and a sensor
for measuring the temperature of the external environment.
[0019] The sensor may measure the temperature of the outside air or the temperature of purified
water.
[0020] The ice maker may further include a cold-water evaporator for cooling purified water
with a refrigerant expanded in the expansion unit.
[0021] The refrigerant flow path unit may include an ice-making refrigerant flow path for
guiding a refrigerant that has passed through the condenser to the ice-making evaporator;
a cold-water refrigerant flow path for guiding a refrigerant that has passed through
the condenser to the cold-water evaporator; and a multi-directional valve for guiding
a refrigerant that has passed through the condenser to at least any one of the ice-making
refrigerant flow path and the cold-water refrigerant flow path.
[0022] The expansion unit may include an ice-making expansion valve which is provided on
the ice-making refrigerant flow path and expands a refrigerant directed to the ice-making
evaporator; and a cold-water expansion valve which is provided on the cold-water refrigerant
flow path and expands a refrigerant directed to the cold-water evaporator.
[0023] The ice-removing refrigerant flow path unit may be provided to branch from the multi-directional
valve and guides a refrigerant to the ice-making evaporator.
[0024] Before ice is made in the ice-making evaporator, if the idle time of the compressor
is greater than a preset time, and the temperature of the external environment measured
by the sensor is below a preset temperature, the control unit may open the bypass
opening/closing valve for a set period of time to control a refrigerant discharged
from the compressor to circulate to a suction end of the compressor through the bypass
flow path.
[0025] When ice is being made or ice making is completed in the ice-making evaporator, if
the temperature of the external environment measured by the sensor is below a preset
temperature, the control unit may open the bypass opening/closing valve for a set
period of time to control a refrigerant discharged from the compressor to circulate
to a suction end of the compressor through the bypass flow path.
[0026] The preset temperature may be 13 to 18°C.
[0027] Meanwhile, according to another aspect of the present invention, provided is a method
for controlling the above-described ice maker having a refrigerant preheating unit,
including an environmental temperature measuring step for measuring the temperature
of an outside air environment; a low-temperature environment determining step for
determining whether the temperature measured in the environmental temperature measuring
step is lower than a preset temperature; a preheating time calculating step for calculating
a refrigerant preheating time at a corresponding temperature when the environmental
temperature determined in the low-temperature environment determining step is a low-temperature
environment that is lower than a preset temperature; and a refrigerant preheating
step for circulating a refrigerant through the bypass flow path of a refrigerant preheating
unit through the compressor during the time calculated in the preheating time calculating
step.
[0028] The method may further include a compressor idle time measuring step which is performed
before the preheating time calculating step, and counts an elapsed time after the
compressor has stopped operating; and an idle time determining step for determining
whether the idle time of the compressor counted in the compressor idle time measuring
step exceeds a set reference time, wherein the preheating time calculating step is
performed when the idle time of the compressor determined in the idle time determining
step exceeds a set reference time.
[0029] After the refrigerant preheating step, an ice-making step for making ice by using
an ice-making evaporator after the preheating of a refrigerant is completed through
a refrigerant preheating step; and an ice-removing step for removing ice that has
been made in the ice-making step are performed.
[0030] Before the preheating time calculating step, an ice-making step for making ice by
using an ice making evaporator may be performed, and the refrigerant preheating step
may be performed after the ice-making step.
[0031] The preset temperature may be 13 to 18°C.
[Advantageous Effects]
[0032] The ice maker having a refrigerant preheating unit according to the present invention
and the control method thereof enable rapid ice removal because the refrigerant continues
to circulate through the compressor until the refrigerant temperature reaches an appropriate
temperature to reach an appropriate ice removal temperature, and can also prevent
over-icing in which ice is refrozen without being removed.
[0033] The ice maker having a refrigerant preheating unit according to an embodiment of
the present invention and the control method thereof can ensure stable ice removal
even when used in a low-temperature environment or when an eco-friendly new refrigerant
with relatively low efficiency is used since the refrigerant is preheated through
the circulation path of the compressor.
[0034] In addition, the ice maker having a refrigerant preheating unit according to an embodiment
of the present invention and the control method thereof implement the configuration
of a refrigerant preheating unit that preheats the refrigerant by a bypass flow path
for connecting the outlet and inlet of the compressor without additional configuration
such as a separate heater such that the structure is simple, the manufacturing cost
is reduced, and the miniaturization of the ice maker can be achieved.
[0035] It should be understood that the effects of the present invention are not limited
to the effects described above, and include all effects that can be inferred from
the composition of the invention described in the detailed description or claims of
the present invention.
[Description of Drawings]
[0036]
FIG. 1 is a diagram briefly illustrating the refrigerant piping diagram of an ice
maker having a refrigerant preheating unit according to an exemplary embodiment of
the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a chart illustrating changes in the refrigerant temperatures on the compressor
discharge side over time when the ice maker having a refrigerant preheating unit according
to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention and a conventional general ice
maker are operated at outside air temperatures of 15°C and 3°C.
FIG. 3 is a graph illustrating changes in the refrigerant temperatures on the compressor
discharge side over time when the ice maker having a refrigerant preheating unit according
to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention and a conventional general ice
maker are operated at an outside air temperature of 15°C.
FIG. 4 is a graph illustrating changes in the refrigerant temperatures on the compressor
discharge side over time when the ice maker having a refrigerant preheating unit according
to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention and a conventional general ice
maker are operated at an outside air temperature of 3°C.
- (a) of FIG. 5 is a graph illustrating changes in the refrigerant temperatures on the
compressor suction side over time when the ice maker having a refrigerant preheating
unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention and a conventional
general ice maker are operated at an outside air temperature of 15°C.
- (b) of FIG. 5 is a graph illustrating changes in the refrigerant temperatures on the
compressor discharge side over time when the ice maker having a refrigerant preheating
unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention and a conventional
general ice maker are operated at an outside air temperature of 15°C.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the method for controlling an ice maker having
a refrigerant preheating unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating the method for controlling an ice maker having
a refrigerant preheating unit according to another exemplary embodiment of the present
invention.
[Modes of the Invention]
[0037] Hereinafter, with reference to the attached drawings, the exemplary embodiments of
the present invention will be described in detail so that those skilled in the art
can easily practice the present invention. The present invention may be implemented
in many different forms and is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described
herein. In order to clearly explain the present invention, parts that are not related
to the description have been omitted in the drawings, and the same or similar components
are assigned the same reference numerals throughout the specification.
[0038] The words and terms used in the present specification and claims are not to be construed
as limited in their usual or dictionary meanings, but according to the principle that
the inventor can define terms and concepts in order to explain his or her invention
in the best way, they must be interpreted with meaning and concepts consistent with
technical ideas.
[0039] Therefore, the exemplary embodiments described in the present specification and the
configuration illustrated in the drawings correspond to a preferred exemplary embodiment
of the present invention, and do not represent the entire technical idea of the present
invention, and thus, the corresponding configuration may have various equivalents
and variations that may replace the same at the time of filing of the present invention.
[0040] It should be understood that the terms "include" or "have", when used in the present
specification, are intended to describe the presence of stated features, integers,
steps, operations, elements, components and/or a combination thereof, but not preclude
the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers,
steps, operations, elements, components or a combination thereof.
[0041] The presence of an element in/on "front", "rear", "upper or above or top" or "lower
or below or bottom" of another element includes not only being disposed in/on "front",
"rear", "upper or above or top" or "lower or below or bottom" directly in contact
with other elements, but also cases in which another element being disposed in the
middle, unless otherwise specified. In addition, unless otherwise specified, that
an element is "connected" to another element includes not only direct connection to
each other but also indirect connection to each other.
[0042] Hereinafter, the ice maker 100 having a refrigerant preheating unit according to
an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference
to the drawings.
[0043] The ice maker 100 having a refrigerant preheating unit according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention may include a compressor 110, a condenser 120,
an expansion unit 130, an ice-making evaporator 142, a cold-water evaporator 144,
a refrigerant flow path unit 150, an ice-removing refrigerant flow path unit 160,
a multi-directional branch valve 170, a refrigerant preheating unit 180 and a control
unit 190, as illustrated in FIG. 1.
[0044] The ice maker 100 according to the present invention relates to an ice maker 100
that freezes ice, but may also be applied to a case where the ice maker 100 is integrated
into a water purifier.
[0045] The compressor 110 is a component that compresses a refrigerant. The compressor 110
sucks a refrigerant from a suction end 112 and compresses the same, and the compressed
refrigerant may be discharged through a discharge end 114 of the compressor 110. The
refrigerant compressed in the compressor 110 may have its pressure and temperature
increased compared to before compression.
[0046] The condenser 120 is a component that condenses the refrigerant discharged from the
discharge end 114 of the compressor 110 by exchanging heat with the outside air. The
refrigerant whose pressure and temperature have increased in the compressor 110 may
be heat-exchanged with the outside air in the condenser 120 to release the internal
heat to the outside.
[0047] The expansion unit 130 is a component that expands the refrigerant that has exchanged
heat in the condenser 120 to lower the pressure. The expansion unit 130 is generally
composed of a capillary tube or an expansion valve, and the refrigerant expanded in
the expansion unit 130 has its temperature lowered while its pressure is lowered.
[0048] Meanwhile, the ice-making evaporator 142 may absorb the surrounding heat while evaporating
the refrigerant expanded in the expansion unit 130 into a gaseous state to make ice.
The ice-making evaporator 142 is equipped with an ice-making mold that freezes ice,
and may make purified water into ice in the ice-making mold.
[0049] The refrigerant flow path unit 150 may be arranged to guide a refrigerant discharged
from the compressor 110 through the condenser 120, the expansion unit 130 and the
ice-making evaporator 142 and then back to the suction end 112 of the compressor 110.
[0050] Meanwhile, the cold-water evaporator 144 is an evaporator for cooling purified water,
not ice, to make cold water.
[0051] Apart of the refrigerant flow path unit 150 that has passed through the condenser
120 may be branched off and connected to the cold-water evaporator 144. The refrigerant
that has absorbed the heat of purified water in the cold-water evaporator 144 may
be guided back to the refrigerant flow path unit 150 and then back to the suction
end 112 of the compressor 110.
[0052] Meanwhile, an ice-removing refrigerant flow path unit 160 may be provided that directly
guides a refrigerant discharged from the compressor 110 to the ice-making evaporator
142.
[0053] The ice-removing refrigerant flow path unit 160 may directly guide a refrigerant
discharged from the compressor 110 to the ice-making evaporator 142 without passing
through the expansion unit 130.
[0054] The refrigerant that has not passed through the expansion unit 130 is in a non-expanded
high-temperature and high-pressure state, and it may heat an ice-making mold of the
ice-making evaporator 142 to melt the boundary surface of the ice frozen in the ice-making
mold, thereby separating the ice from the ice-making mold.
[0055] The ice-removing refrigerant flow path unit 160 may be branched between the discharge
end 114 of the compressor 110 and the condenser 120, or may be branched between the
condenser 120 and the expansion unit 130.
[0056] A multi-directional branch valve 170, such as a flow diverter valve and the like,
may be installed between the condenser 120 and the expansion unit 130 in a part of
the refrigerant flow path unit 150. The multi-directional branch valve 170 may be
combined with an ice-making refrigerant flow path that guides the refrigerant that
has passed through the condenser 120 to the ice-making evaporator 142, or a cold-water
refrigerant flow path that guides the refrigerant that has passed through the condenser
120 to the cold-water evaporator 144.
[0057] The expansion unit 130 may include an ice-making expansion valve 132 and a cold-water
expansion valve 134 as components that expand the refrigerant.
[0058] The ice-making expansion valve 132 may be provided to expand a refrigerant directed
to the ice-making evaporator 142 on the ice-making refrigerant path, and the cold-water
expansion valve 134 may be provided to expand a refrigerant directed to the cold-water
evaporator 144 on the cold-water refrigerant flow path.
[0059] Meanwhile, the refrigerant preheating unit 180 may be provided such that the refrigerant
discharged from the compressor 110 is re-inhaled into the compressor 110 before passing
through the condenser 120.
[0060] In addition, the control unit 190 may be provided to control the refrigerant preheating
unit 180.
[0061] The refrigerant preheating unit 180 may include a bypass flow path 182, a bypass
opening/closing valve 184 and a sensor 185.
[0062] The bypass flow path 182 may be branched from a discharge end 114 of the compressor
110 of the refrigerant flow path unit 150 and joined to a suction end 112 of the compressor
110 of the refrigerant flow path unit 150.
[0063] In addition, the bypass opening/closing valve 184 may be provided to open/close the
bypass flow path 182.
[0064] That is, when the bypass opening/closing valve 184 is opened, the refrigerant discharged
from the discharge end 114 of the compressor 110 may be re-inhaled into the suction
end 112 of the compressor 110 and repeatedly compressed. As the refrigerant is repeatedly
compressed, the pressure and temperature of the refrigerant may further increase.
[0065] In addition, the sensor 185 may measure the temperature of the external environment
of the location where the ice maker 100 is located. In this case, the sensor 185 may
be provided to measure the temperature of the atmosphere or the temperature of purified
water.
[0066] The control unit 190 may open or close the bypass opening/closing valve 184 according
to the temperature of the external environment measured by the sensor 185.
[0067] For example, before ice is made in the ice-making evaporator 142, if the idle time
of the compressor 110 during which the operation is stopped is greater than a preset
time, and the temperature of the external environment measured by the sensor 185 is
below a preset temperature, the control unit 190 may open the bypass opening/closing
valve 184 for a set period of time to control a refrigerant discharged from the compressor
110 to circulate to a suction end 112 of the compressor 110 through the bypass flow
path 182.
[0068] That is, in a situation where the ice-making process has not been performed for a
sufficiently long time and there is a concern that the ice-making efficiency by the
refrigerant may be reduced due to the low temperature of the external environment,
the control unit 190 may control the bypass opening/closing valve 184 such that the
refrigerant is repeatedly compressed to further increase its pressure and temperature.
[0069] Alternatively, when ice is being made or ice making is completed in the ice-making
evaporator 142, if the temperature of the external environment measured by the sensor
185 is below a preset temperature, the control unit 190 may open the bypass opening/closing
valve 184 for a set period of time to control a refrigerant discharged from the compressor
110 to circulate to a suction end 112 of the compressor 110 through the bypass flow
path 182.
[0070] That is, even when the ice-making process is being performed, if there is a concern
that the ice-making efficiency by the refrigerant may be reduced due to the low temperature
of the external environment, the control unit 190 may control the bypass opening/closing
valve 1894 such that the refrigerant is repeatedly compressed and the pressure and
temperature thereof are further increased.
[0071] In this case, the time at which the bypass opening/closing valve 184 is opened may
vary depending on the temperature of the external environment measured by the sensor
185.
[0072] That is, before ice is made in the ice-making evaporator 142, the control unit 190
controls the bypass opening/closing valve 184 according to at least one condition
among the idle time of the compressor 110, whether ice-making is in progress, and
the temperature of the external environment.
[0073] In this case, the temperature at which the control unit 190 determines the opening
of the bypass valve, that is, the temperature of the external environment, may be
between 13°C and 18°C. Preferably, the temperature may be 15°C.
[0074] That is, when the temperature of the external environment measured by the sensor
185 is between 13 and 18°C, the control unit 190 operates the refrigerant preheating
unit 180.
[0075] When the bypass opening/closing valve 184 is opened by the control unit 190, the
refrigerant discharged from the compressor 110 is sucked back into a suction end 112
of the compressor 110 and compressed repeatedly to increase the temperature of the
refrigerant.
[0076] Therefore, by supplying the high-temperature refrigerant to the ice-making evaporator
142 through the ice-removing refrigerant flow path unit 160 in a state where the temperature
of the refrigerant is sufficiently increased, the ice-removing performance may be
guaranteed even in a low-temperature environment.
[0077] FIG. 2 is a chart illustrating changes in the temperature when the refrigerants of
a conventional general ice maker 100 and the ice maker 100 having a refrigerant preheating
unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention are discharged
from the compressor 110, when the environmental temperature of the outside air is
15°C and 3°C.
[0078] In addition, FIG. 3 is a graph illustrating changes in the temperature of the refrigerant
discharged from a compressor provided in a conventional ice maker and the refrigerant
discharged from the compressor 110 of the ice maker 100 having a refrigerant preheating
unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, when the environmental
temperature of the outside air is 15°C, and FIG. 4 is a graph illustrating changes
in the temperature of the refrigerant discharged from a compressor provided in a conventional
ice maker and the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 110 of the ice maker
100 having a refrigerant preheating unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the
present invention, when the environmental temperature of the outside air is 3°C.
[0079] In the above graphs, the horizontal axis is time (unit: seconds) and the vertical
axis is temperature (unit: Celsius).
[0080] As illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4, when the environmental temperature of the outside
air is 15°C, the temperature of the refrigerant discharged from the conventional ice
maker is 23.2°C 1 minute after the compressor starts operating, 32.8°C 5 minutes later,
and 32.8°C 10 minutes later, indicating that the temperature of the refrigerant does
not increase any further after 5 minutes of operation.
[0081] On the other hand, in the case of the ice maker 100 having a refrigerant preheating
unit of the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the temperature is 29.5°C
1 minute after the compressor 110 starts operating, which is 6.3°C higher than the
conventional one, 44.4°C 5 minutes later, and 55.9°C 10 minutes later.
[0082] Therefore, in the case of the ice maker 100 having a refrigerant preheating unit
of the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, it can be seen that the refrigerant
temperature is higher than that of the conventional ice maker immediately after the
operation of the compressor 110, and the temperature of the refrigerant continuously
increases to a higher temperature while the compressor 110 is operated.
[0083] The above-described difference shows the same tendency even when the environmental
temperature of the outside air is 3°C, and it can be seen that the refrigerant temperature
of the ice maker 100 having a refrigerant preheating unit according to the exemplary
embodiment of the present invention is significantly higher than the refrigerant temperature
of the conventional ice maker throughout all sections after the compressor 110 is
operated.
[0084] FIG. 5 is a graph illustrating differences between the temperature of the refrigerant
sucked and discharged by the compressor of the conventional ice maker and the temperature
of the refrigerant sucked and discharged by the compressor 110 of the ice maker 100
having a refrigerant preheating unit according to the exemplary embodiment of the
present invention, when the environmental temperature of the outside air is 15°C.
In the above graph, the horizontal axis is time (unit: seconds), and the vertical
axis is temperature (unit: Celsius).
[0085] As can be seen in (a) of FIG. 5, in the case of the conventional ice maker, the temperature
of the refrigerant when sucked from the compressor 110 can be seen to rise and fall
repeatedly from a maximum temperature of around 20°C.
[0086] On the other hand, in the ice maker 100 having a refrigerant preheating unit according
to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the temperature rapidly rises
to around 80°C until about 3,000 seconds have passed, and the maximum temperature
rises little by little thereafter. Moreover, the degree of rise and fall of the temperature
of the refrigerant can also be seen to be small compared to the conventional ice maker.
[0087] In addition, as can be seen in (b) of FIG. 5, the temperature of the refrigerant
discharged from the compressor 110 reaches a maximum temperature of 40°C after about
1,400 seconds and converges around this temperature.
[0088] On the other hand, it can be seen that the temperature of the refrigerant discharged
from the ice maker 100 having a refrigerant preheating unit according to the exemplary
embodiment of the present invention rapidly increases to a maximum temperature of
about 90°C after about 3,000 seconds, and the maximum temperature gradually increases
thereafter.
[0089] Therefore, even in a low-temperature environment where the external environmental
temperature is low, the high-temperature refrigerant can be quickly supplied to the
ice-making evaporator 142 through the ice-removing refrigerant flow path unit 160,
thereby ensuring the ice-removing performance.
[0090] Hereinafter, an exemplary embodiment of the method for controlling the ice maker
having a refrigerant preheating unit according to the present invention described
above will be described.
[0091] The method for controlling the ice maker having a refrigerant preheating unit according
to the present exemplary embodiment may be a control method when the compressor 110
has stopped operating and is about to start operating (e.g., when the power of the
ice maker 100 is turned off for a long time and then turned on). In this case, the
ice maker 100 may be in a state before making ice.
[0092] The method for controlling the ice maker having a refrigerant preheating unit according
to the present exemplary embodiment may include an environmental temperature measuring
step (S130), a compressor idle time measuring step (S140), a preheating time calculating
step (S150), a refrigerant preheating step (S160), an ice-making step (S170) and an
ice-removing step (S180), as illustrated in FIG. 6.
[0093] First of all, after the power of the ice maker 100 is turned on (S 110), it may be
determined whether the ice making conditions for making ice are satisfied (S120).
For example, it is to determine whether the purified water for making ice is supplied
sufficiently and whether the compressor 110 is operating normally.
[0094] Meanwhile, if the ice-making conditions are satisfied, the environmental temperature
measuring step (S130) may be performed. The environmental temperature measuring step
(S130) measures the temperature of the environment in which the ice maker 100 is placed,
by having the sensor 185 measure the temperature of the external environment or the
temperature of the purified water.
[0095] In addition, after the environmental temperature is measured in the environmental
temperature measuring step (S130), a low-temperature environment determining step
(S132) may be performed to determine whether the measured environmental temperature
is lower than a preset reference temperature.
[0096] That is, the control unit 190 determines whether the environmental temperature measured
in the environmental temperature measuring step (S130) is lower than a preset reference
temperature (e.g., 15°C) (S132). If the measured environmental temperature is lower
than the preset reference temperature and is a low-temperature environment, the compressor
idle time measuring step (S140) for measuring the idle time of the compressor 110
may be performed.
[0097] Alternatively, if the environmental temperature measured in the environmental temperature
measuring step (S130) is higher than the reference temperature and is not a low-temperature
environment, the ice-making step (S170) may be performed immediately.
[0098] In the compressor idle time measuring step (S140), the amount of time that has elapsed
since the compressor 110 stopped operating may be counted. That is, in the compressor
idle time measuring step (S140), the time during which the compressor 110 was not
in operation may be measured.
[0099] After the compressor idle time measuring step (S140), a compressor idle time determining
step (S142) may be performed. The compressor idle time determining step (S142) is
a step for determining whether the compressor idle time counted in the compressor
idle time measuring step (S140) exceeds a preset reference time. The preset reference
time may be determined differently depending on the environmental temperature measured
in the environmental temperature measuring step (S130).
[0100] For example, in an environment of 15°C, the preset reference time of the compressor
idle time may be between 15 and 40 minutes.
[0101] If the compressor idle time elapsed time counted in the compressor idle time measuring
step (S140) exceeds the preset reference time, a preheating time calculating step
(S150) may be performed. Alternatively, if the compressor idle time counted in the
compressor idle time measuring step (S140) does not exceed the preset reference time,
the ice-making step (S170) may be performed immediately.
[0102] Meanwhile, the preheating time calculating step (S150) is a step for calculating
a refrigerant preheating time at a corresponding temperature (i.e., the measured environmental
temperature), when the compressor idle time exceeds the preset reference time and
the environmental temperature measured in the environmental temperature measuring
step (S130) is a low-temperature environment lower than the preset reference temperature.
[0103] For example, the refrigerant preheating time calculated in the preheating time calculating
step (S150) may be longer when the measured environmental temperature is 10°C compared
to when the measured environmental temperature is 15°C in the environmental temperature
measuring step (S130).
[0104] After the preheating time calculating step (S150), the refrigerant preheating step
(S160) may be performed. The refrigerant preheating step (S160) is a step in which
the refrigerant is heated by circulating through the compressor 110 through the bypass
flow path 182 of the refrigerant preheating unit 180 during the refrigerant preheating
time calculated in the preheating time calculating step (S150).
[0105] In the refrigerant preheating step (S160), the control unit 190 may control the bypass
opening/closing valve 184 to open the bypass flow path 182 to start refrigerant preheating
(S162).
[0106] When the bypass opening/closing valve 184 is opened, the refrigerant discharged from
the compressor 110 may be continuously compressed and heated while being sucked back
into the compressor 110 through the bypass flow path 182. In other words, the refrigerant
is repeatedly compressed and heated while circulating through the compressor 110 and
the bypass flow path 182.
[0107] After the bypass opening/closing valve 184 is opened for a preset time, the control
unit 190 controls the bypass opening/closing valve 184 to close the bypass flow path
182, thereby completing the preheating of the refrigerant (S164).
[0108] After the refrigerant preheating step (S160) is completed, an ice-making step (S170)
of making ice in the ice-making evaporator 142 may be performed.
[0109] In addition, after the ice-making step (S170) is performed, the ice-removing step
(S180) for removing ice that has been made may be performed.
[0110] In the ice-removing step (S180), the refrigerant preheated in the above-described
refrigerant preheating step (S160) may be supplied to the ice-making evaporator 142
through the ice-removing refrigerant flow path unit 160 to heat the ice mold of the
ice-making evaporator 142 to remove ice (S180).
[0111] Hereinafter, another exemplary embodiment of the method for controlling the ice maker
having a refrigerant preheating unit according to the present invention as described
above will be described.
[0112] The method for controlling the ice maker having a refrigerant preheating unit according
to the present exemplary embodiment may be a control method in a state where the ice
maker 100 is operating (e.g., in a state where ice is being made or has been made
in the ice-making evaporator 142 of the ice maker 100).
[0113] The method for controlling the ice maker having a refrigerant preheating unit according
to the present exemplary embodiment may include an environmental temperature measuring
step (S230), a preheating time calculating step (S250), a refrigerant preheating step
(S260) and an ice-removing step (S290), as illustrated in FIG. 7.
[0114] First of all, after the power of the ice maker 100 is turned on (S210), it may be
determined whether the ice-making conditions for making ice are satisfied (S220).
For example, it may be determined whether the purified water for making ice is sufficiently
supplied and whether the operation of the compressor 110 is normal.
[0115] Meanwhile, if the ice-making conditions are satisfied, the environmental temperature
measuring step (S230) and the ice-making step (S240) may be performed. In the present
exemplary embodiment, the environmental temperature measuring step (S230) is performed
before the ice-making step (S240) as an example. Alternatively, the environmental
temperature measuring step (S230) and the ice-making step (S240) may be performed
simultaneously or at different times.
[0116] The environmental temperature measuring step (S230) measures the temperature of the
environment in which the ice maker 100 is placed by measuring the outside air temperature
or the temperature of the purified water in the environment in which the ice maker
100 is placed by a sensor 185.
[0117] The control unit 190 determines (S232) whether the environmental temperature measured
in the environmental temperature measuring step (S230) is higher than a preset reference
temperature (e.g., 15°C). If the measured environmental temperature is a low-temperature
environment lower than the preset reference temperature, the preheating time calculating
step (S250) may be performed.
[0118] Certainly, if the measured environmental temperature is higher than the preset reference
temperature (i.e., not a low-temperature environment), the ice-removing step (S270)
for removing the ice may be performed immediately.
[0119] The preheating time calculating step (S250) is a step for calculating the refrigerant
preheating time according to the environmental temperature measured in the environmental
temperature measuring step (S230).
[0120] For example, the refrigerant preheating time calculated in the preheating time calculating
step (S250) may be calculated to be longer when the environmental temperature measured
in the environmental temperature measuring step (S230) is 10°C than when it is 15°C.
[0121] After the preheating time calculating step (S250), a refrigerant preheating step
(S260) may be performed. The refrigerant preheating step (S260) is a step for heating
the refrigerant by circulating through the compressor 110 through the bypass flow
path 182 of the refrigerant preheating unit 180 during the refrigerant preheating
time calculated in the preheating time calculating step (S250).
[0122] In the refrigerant preheating step (S260), the control unit 190 may control the bypass
opening/closing valve 184 to open the bypass flow path 182 to start refrigerant preheating
(S262).
[0123] When the bypass opening/closing valve 184 is opened, the refrigerant discharged from
the compressor 110 may be continuously compressed and heated while being sucked back
into the compressor 110 through the bypass flow path 182. That is, the refrigerant
is repeatedly compressed and heated while circulating through the compressor 110 and
the bypass flow path 182.
[0124] After the bypass opening/closing valve 184 is opened for a preset time, the control
unit 190 may control the bypass opening/closing valve 184 to close the bypass flow
path 182 to end refrigerant preheating (S264). After the refrigerant preheating step
(S260) is completed, an ice-removing step (S270) for removing ice from the ice-making
evaporator 142 may be performed.
[0125] In the ice-removing step (S270), the refrigerant preheated in the above-described
refrigerant preheating step (S260) may be supplied to the ice-making evaporator 142
through the ice-removing refrigerant flow path 160 to heat the ice mold of the ice-making
evaporator 142 to remove ice (S270).
[0126] Although the exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described above,
the spirit of the present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments presented
in the present specification, and those skilled in the art who understand the spirit
of the present invention may easily suggest other exemplary embodiments by changing,
modifying, deleting or adding components within the scope of the same spirit, but
this will also fall within the scope of the present invention.
[Explanation of Reference Numerals]
100: |
Ice maker |
110: |
Compressor |
112: |
Suction end |
114: |
Discharge end |
120: |
Condenser |
130: |
Expansion unit |
142: |
Ice-making evaporator |
144: |
Cold-water evaporator |
150: |
Refrigerant flow path unit |
160: |
Ice-removing refrigerant flow path unit |
170: |
Multi-directional branch valve |
180: |
Refrigerant preheating unit |
182: |
Bypass flow path |
184: |
Bypass opening/closing valve |
185: |
Sensor |
190: |
Control unit |
S110, S210: |
Ice maker power ON |
S120, S220: |
Ice making conditions satisfied |
S130, S230: |
Environmental temperature measuring step |
S140, S240: |
Compressor idle time measuring step |
S142: |
Compressor idle time determining step |
S150, S250: |
Preheating time calculating step |
S160, S260: |
Refrigerant preheating step |
|
|
S162, S262: |
Refrigerant preheating ON |
|
|
S164, S264: |
Refrigerant preheating OFF |
|
|
S170, S240: |
Ice-making step |
S180, S270: |
Ice-removing step |
1. An ice maker (100) having a refrigerant preheating unit, comprising:
a compressor (110) for compressing a refrigerant;
a condenser (120) for condensing a refrigerant discharged from a discharge end of
the compressor;
an expansion unit (130) for expanding a refrigerant condensed in the condenser;
an ice-making evaporator (142) for evaporating a refrigerant expanded in the expansion
unit to make ice;
a refrigerant flow path unit (150) for guiding a refrigerant discharged from the compressor
to a suction end of the compressor through the condenser, the expansion unit and the
ice-making evaporator;
an ice-removing refrigerant flow path unit (160) for guiding a refrigerant discharged
from the compressor to the ice-making evaporator;
a refrigerant preheating unit (180) for causing a refrigerant discharged from the
compressor to be re-suctioned into the compressor before passing through the condenser;
and
a control unit (190) for controlling the refrigerant preheating unit.
2. The ice maker of claim 1, wherein the refrigerant preheating unit comprises:
a bypass flow path (182) which is branched from a discharge end of the compressor
and is connected to a suction end of the compressor;
a bypass opening/closing valve (184) for opening/closing the bypass flow path; and
a sensor (185) for measuring the temperature of the external environment.
3. The ice maker of claim 2, wherein the sensor (185) is configured to measure the temperature
of the outside air or the temperature of purified water.
4. The ice maker of claim 1, further comprising:
a cold-water evaporator (144) for cooling purified water with a refrigerant expanded
in the expansion unit.
5. The ice maker of claim 4, wherein the refrigerant flow path unit (150) comprises:
an ice-making refrigerant flow path for guiding a refrigerant that has passed through
the condenser to the ice-making evaporator;
a cold-water refrigerant flow path for guiding a refrigerant that has passed through
the condenser to the cold-water evaporator; and
a multi-directional valve (170) for guiding a refrigerant that has passed through
the condenser (120) to at least any one of the ice-making refrigerant flow path and
the cold-water refrigerant flow path.
6. The ice maker of claim 5, wherein the expansion unit (130) comprises:
an ice-making expansion valve (132) which is provided on the ice-making refrigerant
flow path and is configured to expand a refrigerant directed to the ice-making evaporator;
and
a cold-water expansion valve (134) which is provided on the cold-water refrigerant
flow path and is configured to expand a refrigerant directed to the cold-water evaporator.
7. The ice maker of claim 5, wherein the ice-removing refrigerant flow path unit (160)
is provided to branch from the multi-directional valve (170) and is configured to
guide a refrigerant to the ice-making evaporator (142).
8. The ice maker of claim 2, wherein before ice is made in the ice-making evaporator
(142), if the idle time of the compressor is greater than a preset time, and the temperature
of the external environment measured by the sensor is below a preset temperature,
the control unit (190) opens the bypass opening/closing valve (184) for a set period
of time to control a refrigerant discharged from the compressor (110) to circulate
to a suction end of the compressor through the bypass flow path.
9. The ice maker of claim 2, wherein when ice is being made or ice making is completed
in the ice-making evaporator (142), if the temperature of the external environment
measured by the sensor is below a preset temperature, the control unit (190) opens
the bypass opening/closing valve for a set period of time to control a refrigerant
discharged from the compressor (110) to circulate to a suction end of the compressor
through the bypass flow path.
10. The ice maker according to any one of claim 8 or 9, wherein the preset temperature
is between 13 and 18°C.
11. A method for controlling the ice maker having a refrigerant preheating unit according
to any one of claims 1 to 9, comprising:
an environmental temperature measuring step (S130, S230) for measuring the temperature
of an outside air environment;
a low-temperature environment determining step (S132) for determining whether the
temperature measured in the environmental temperature measuring step is lower than
a preset temperature;
a preheating time calculating step (S150, S250) for calculating a refrigerant preheating
time at a corresponding temperature when the environmental temperature determined
in the low-temperature environment determining step is a low-temperature environment
that is lower than a preset temperature; and
a refrigerant preheating step (S160, S260) for circulating a refrigerant through the
bypass flow path of a refrigerant preheating unit through the compressor during the
time calculated in the preheating time calculating step.
12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:
a compressor idle time measuring step (S140) which is performed before the preheating
time calculating step, and counts an elapsed time after the compressor has stopped
operating; and
an idle time determining step (S142) for determining whether the idle time of the
compressor counted in the compressor idle time measuring step exceeds a set reference
time,
wherein the preheating time calculating step (S150, S250) is performed when the idle
time of the compressor determined in the idle time determining step exceeds a set
reference time.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein after the refrigerant preheating step,
an ice-making step (S170) for making ice by using an ice-making evaporator after the
preheating of a refrigerant is completed through a refrigerant preheating step; and
an ice-removing step (S180) for removing ice that has been made in the ice-making
step are performed.
14. The method of claim 11, wherein before the preheating time calculating step (S150,
S250), an ice-making step (S170, S240) for making ice by using an ice making evaporator
is performed, and
wherein the refrigerant preheating step (S160, S260) is performed after the ice-making
step (S170, S240).
15. The method of claim 11, wherein the preset temperature is between 13 and 18°C.