Ice making system and method for ice making of refrigerator

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a refrigerant pipe, through which low temperature and low pressure refrigerant flows, directly on a tray, allowing for quick ice formation even when an ice maker is installed in a refrigeration compartment, and allowing for transparent chunks of ice to be made.

1 . An ice making system for a refrigerator, comprising:
 a compressor compressing refrigerant;   a condenser through which refrigerant that passes through the compressor flows;   an expander expanding refrigerant that passes through the condenser to a low temperature and low pressure state;   a tray provided within a refrigeration chamber to store water for ice making therein and move during at least an ice separation process; and   a freezing pipe branched from an outlet of the expander and connected to an inlet of the compressor, and having at least a portion thereof immersed in the water stored in the tray,   wherein ice is made directly on a surface of the freezing pipe.   
   
   
       2 . The ice making system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 in an ice making process, refrigerant expanded by the expander flows to the freezing pipe, and   in the ice separation process, refrigerant that passes through the compressor or the condenser flows to the freezing pipe.   
   
   
       3 . The ice making system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a valve member provided at a point where the freezing pipe is branched. 
   
   
       4 . The ice making system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an ice separation pipe branched from an outlet of the compressor or the condenser, and connected to an inlet of the freezing pipe; and   a return pipe branched from an outlet of the freezing pipe, and connected to the outlet of the compressor or the condenser.   
   
   
       5 . The ice making system according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a first valve provided at the inlet of the freezing pipe;   a second valve provided at an inlet or an outlet of the ice separation pipe; and   a third valve provided at an inlet or an outlet of the return pipe.   
   
   
       6 . The ice making system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a heater attached to the surface of the freezing pipe. 
   
   
       7 . The ice making system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the freezing pipe is bent a plurality of times to form a plurality of protruding portions, and   at least a portion of the protruding portions is immersed in the water stored in the tray.   
   
   
       8 . The ice making system according to  claim 1 , wherein the tray is rotated in the ice separation process. 
   
   
       9 . An ice making system for a refrigerator, comprising:
 a tray filled with potable water for making ice, and provided in a space maintained at an above-freezing temperature; and   a freezing pipe with at least a portion thereof immersed in the water filled in the tray,   wherein in an ice making process, low temperature refrigerant flows to the freezing pipe, and ice is made directly on a surface of the freezing pipe.   
   
   
       10 . The ice making system according to  claim 9 , wherein in an ice separation process, high temperature refrigerant flows to the freezing pipe. 
   
   
       11 . The ice making system according to  claim 9 , further comprising a heater provided on the surface of the freezing pipe to generate heat during an ice separation process. 
   
   
       12 . The ice making system according to  claim 9 , wherein the tray is rotatably provided. 
   
   
       13 . The ice making system according to  claim 12 , further comprising a container provided on a rear surface of a door for opening and closing a space in which the tray is contained, wherein ice separated from the tray falls into the container. 
   
   
       14 . The ice making system according to  claim 13 , wherein a cold accumulating member surrounding surfaces of the container or a separate cooling device provided around the container maintains the container at a sub-freezing temperature. 
   
   
       15 . The ice making system according to  claim 13 , wherein a cold air duct, through which cold air is directly discharged into the container, maintains the container at a sub-freezing temperature. 
   
   
       16 . The ice making system according to  claim 9 , further comprising a water supplying device supplying water to the tray. 
   
   
       17 . The ice making system according to  claim 9 , wherein the freezing pipe is formed of a corrosion-resistant and rust-resistant material, or the freezing pipe is coated with a corrosion-resistant and rust-resistant material. 
   
   
       18 . A method for ice making in a refrigerator, the method comprising:
 collecting water for ice making in a tray provided in a refrigeration compartment, the tray containing a freezing pipe in a space within;   immersing at least a portion of the freezing pipe in the water;   forming ice on a surface of the freezing pipe by inducing a flow of low temperature refrigerant through the freezing pipe;   removing residual water from the tray when the forming of the ice is completed; and   detaching the ice formed on the surface of the freezing pipe.   
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the forming of the ice is completed before adjacent formations of ice contact one another. 
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the forming of the ice is completed before the water collected in the tray freezes in its entirety. 
   
   
       21 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the removing of the residual water is performed through rotating the tray. 
   
   
       22 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein when the forming of the ice is completed, the removing of the residual water from the tray is performed with a draining pump. 
   
   
       23 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the detaching of the ice begins after at least the tray has been rotated. 
   
   
       24 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the detaching of the ice is performed by inducing a flow of high temperature refrigerant through the freezing pipe. 
   
   
       25 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the detaching of the ice is performed by heating a heating member attached to the surface of the freezing pipe. 
   
   
       26 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein in the forming of the ice, the inducing of the flow of the refrigerant through the freezing pipe is stopped. 
   
   
       27 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein in ice forming process, refrigerant at an outlet of an expanding member is supplied to the freezing pipe. 
   
   
       28 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein in ice separation process, refrigerant at an outlet of a compressor or a condenser is supplied to the freezing pipe.