Refrigerator with reservoir

Abstract

A refrigerator is disclosed, which is capable of minimizing consumption of power while satisfying refrigerating performance of a freezing compartment by having a reservoir that stores a surplus refrigerant exceeding a required amount to independently cool the freezing compartment. The refrigerator includes a refrigerating compartment, a freezing compartment, and a refrigeration cycle including first and second evaporators respectively corresponding to the refrigerating compartment and the freezing compartment. The refrigeration cycle includes a first refrigeration cycle to refrigerate both the first and the second evaporators, and a second refrigeration cycle to refrigerate any one of the first and the second evaporators independently, and the second refrigeration cycle includes a bypass path bypassing the other one of the first and the second evaporators, and a reservoir mounted on the bypass path to adjust a circulated refrigerant amount by storing part of the refrigerant being circulated along the second refrigeration cycle.

1 . A refrigerator, comprising:
 a refrigerating compartment;   a freezing compartment; and   a refrigeration cycle including first and second evaporators corresponding to the refrigerating compartment and the freezing compartment, respectively, the refrigeration cycle including a first refrigeration cycle to refrigerate both the first and the second evaporators, and a second refrigeration cycle to refrigerate any one of the first and the second evaporators independently, the second refrigeration cycle including a bypass path bypassing the other one of the first and the second evaporators, and a reservoir mounted on the bypass path to adjust a circulated refrigerant amount by storing part of the refrigerant being circulated along the second refrigeration cycle.   
   
   
       2 . A refrigerator, comprising:
 a first refrigerant pipe of a first refrigeration cycle to refrigerate a freezing compartment and a refrigerating compartment simultaneously; and   a second refrigerant pipe of a second refrigeration cycle to refrigerate only the freezing compartment independently, the second refrigerant pipe including a reservoir adjusting a circulated refrigerant amount by storing part of the refrigerant being circulated along the second refrigeration cycle.   
   
   
       3 . The refrigerator according to  claim 2 , further comprising a capillary tube mounted to the second refrigerant pipe, and a valve controlling operations of the first and the second refrigeration cycles, the reservoir being mounted between the valve and the capillary tube. 
   
   
       4 . The refrigerator according to  claim 2 , further comprising a capillary tube mounted to the second refrigerant pipe, and a freezing compartment evaporator generating cold air to be supplied to the freezing compartment, the reservoir being mounted between the capillary tube and the freezing compartment evaporator. 
   
   
       5 . The refrigerator according to  claim 2 , wherein the reservoir includes a cylindrical main body storing refrigerant liquid being circulated, an inflow pipe guiding the refrigerant from the second refrigerant pipe to the main body, and an outflow pipe guiding the refrigerant from the main body to the second refrigerant pipe. 
   
   
       6 . The refrigerator according to  claim 5 , wherein the inflow pipe is configured to be longer than the outflow pipe. 
   
   
       7 . The refrigerator according to  claim 6 , wherein the inflow pipe is disposed in a vicinity of a lower part of the main body, and the outflow pipe is disposed in the vicinity of an upper part of the main body. 
   
   
       8 . A refrigerator, comprising:
 a refrigerating compartment;   a freezing compartment;   a first refrigeration path configured to refrigerate the freezing and refrigerating compartments simultaneously in a simultaneous operation; and   a second refrigeration path configured to refrigerate the freezing compartment independently in an independent operation,   wherein an amount of circulated refrigerant is adjusted according to a type of the operation.   
   
   
       9 . The refrigerator according to  claim 8 , further comprising a valve connected between the first refrigeration path and the second refrigeration path, the valve causing the refrigerant to be circulated through one of the first refrigeration path and the second refrigeration path. 
   
   
       10 . The refrigerator according to  claim 8 , wherein the second refrigeration path includes a reservoir to store a portion of the circulated refrigerant. 
   
   
       11 . The refrigerator according to  claim 10 , wherein the second refrigeration path further includes a capillary tube and a freezing compartment evaporator, the reservoir being provided between the capillary tube and the freezing compartment evaporator. 
   
   
       12 . The refrigerator according to  claim 9 , wherein the second refrigeration path further includes a capillary tube and a freezing compartment evaporator, the reservoir being provided between the capillary tube and the valve. 
   
   
       13 . A refrigeration method for a refrigerator including a freezing compartment and a refrigerating compartment, comprising:
 selectively simultaneously refrigerating the freezing compartment and the refrigerating compartment in a simultaneous refrigerating operation;   independently refrigerating the freezing compartment in an independent refrigerating operation; and   adjusting an amount of refrigerant being circulated according to a type of the refrigerating operation.   
   
   
       14 . The refrigeration method according to  claim 13 , further comprising storing a portion of the refrigerant in a reservoir during the independent refrigerating operation.