Refrigerator and control method thereof

Abstract

A refrigerator and a control method thereof in which a plurality of storage compartments are cooled based on their cooling priorities, which are determined in accordance with a set temperature or thermal load of each storage compartment, whereby the storage compartments can maintain high humidity. The refrigerator for keeping the average humidity of the storage compartments high includes a compressor, the plurality of storage compartments, a plurality of evaporators and fans corresponding to the plurality of storage compartments, respectively, temperature sensors for detecting a temperature of each of the plurality of storage compartments, and a controller adapted to compare the temperature, detected by the respective temperature sensors, with a set temperature of each of the storage compartments so as to determine whether or not it is necessary to cool each of the storage compartments, and, when it is necessary to cool the plurality of storage compartments, to assign cooling priories to the storage compartments to be cooled from lowest to highest set temperatures, to control the fans of the storage compartments to be cooled in accordance with the assigned cooling priorities

1 . A refrigerator comprising: 
 a compressor;    a plurality of storage compartments;    a plurality of evaporators and fans corresponding to the plurality of storage compartments, respectively;    temperature sensors for detecting a temperature of each of the plurality of storage compartments; and    a controller adapted to compare the temperature, detected by the respective temperature sensors, with a set temperature of each of the storage compartments so as to determine whether or not it is necessary to cool each of the storage compartments, and, when it is necessary to cool the plurality of storage compartments, to assign cooling priories to the storage compartments to be cooled from lowest to highest set temperatures, to control the fans of the storage compartments to be cooled in accordance with the assigned cooling priorities.    
   
   
       2 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of storage compartments include a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment, refrigerant flow paths being arranged in parallel to supply refrigerant into the respective evaporators for the refrigerating and freezing compartments, a 3-way valve being provided to regulate the supply of refrigerant into the respective refrigerant flow paths.  
   
   
       3 . The refrigerator according to  claim 2 , wherein the controller stops the compressor after completing the cooling of both the refrigerating and freezing compartments, and subsequently, operates only the fan for the refrigerating compartment, to perform a natural defrosting operation.  
   
   
       4 . The refrigerator according to  claim 2 , wherein the refrigerating compartment further includes a separate storage compartment maintaining a high humidity, the controller operating to cool the separate storage compartment last.  
   
   
       5 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller stops the operation of the compressor when the storage compartment, which is assigned to be cooled last, is completely cooled.  
   
   
       6 . A refrigerator comprising: 
 a compressor;    a plurality of storage compartments;    a plurality of evaporators and fans corresponding to the plurality of storage compartments, respectively;    temperature sensors for detecting a temperature of each of the plurality of storage compartments; and    a controller adapted to compare the temperature, detected by the respective temperature sensors, with a set temperature of each of the storage compartments so as to determine whether or not it is necessary to cool each of the storage compartments, and, when it is necessary to cool the plurality of storage compartments, to assign cooling priories to the storage compartments to be cooled from highest to lowest thermal loads, to control the fans of the storage compartments to be cooled in accordance with the assigned cooling priorities.    
   
   
       7 . The refrigerator according to  claim 6 , wherein the controller calculates the thermal loads of the storage compartments to be cooled by use of a difference between the temperature, detected by the temperature sensor of each storage compartment, and the set temperature of the storage compartment.  
   
   
       8 . The refrigerator according to  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of storage compartments include a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment, refrigerant flow paths being arranged in parallel to supply refrigerant into the respective evaporators for the refrigerating and freezing compartments, a 3-way valve being provided to regulate the supply of refrigerant into the respective refrigerant flow paths.  
   
   
       9 . The refrigerator according to  claim 8 , wherein the controller stops the compressor after completing the cooling of both the refrigerating and freezing compartments, and subsequently, operates only the fan for the refrigerating compartment, to perform a natural defrosting operation.  
   
   
       10 . A method for controlling a refrigerator comprising a plurality of storage compartments, evaporators corresponding to the respective storage compartments, fans corresponding to the respective evaporators, and temperature sensors for detecting a temperature of each of the storage compartments, the method comprising: 
 detecting the temperature of each of the storage compartments by use of the temperature sensors;    determining whether or not it is necessary to cool each of the storage compartments by comparing the detected temperature with a set temperature of each of the storage compartments;    assigning cooling priorities of the plurality of storage compartments, which are determined to be cooled; and    cooling each of the storage compartments by operating the fans of the respective evaporators in accordance with the cooling priorities.    
   
   
       11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the cooling priorities are assigned to the respective storage compartments to be cooled from lowest to highest set temperatures.  
   
   
       12 . The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 calculating a thermal load of each of the storage compartments to be cooled by use of a difference between the detected temperature and the set temperature of each of the storage compartments, the cooling priorities being assigned to the respective storage compartments from highest to lowest thermal loads.    
   
   
       13 . The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 performing a natural defrosting operation for operating the fan of the evaporator of the last storage compartment of the cooling priorities after the last storage compartment is completely cooled.    
   
   
       14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the natural defrosting operation comprises operating the fan of the evaporator of the last storage compartment of the cooling priorities for a predetermined amount of time.  
   
   
       15 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the natural defrosting operation comprises operating the fan of the evaporator of the last storage compartment of the cooling priorities until a predetermined temperature in the evaporator is obtained.