Refrigerator and method of controlling operation thereof

Abstract

A refrigerator in which an evaporator is separately installed in each of a freezing chamber and a refrigerating chamber such that operations of the freezing chamber and the refrigerating chamber are independently controlled, and a method of controlling an operation thereof. An operation of the freezing chamber is performed first when the refrigerator starts to be operated in a parallel cycle to convert a flow of a refrigerant such that operations of the freezing chamber and the refrigerating chamber are independently performed using a 3-way valve, thereby achieving energy savings. Further, a check valve to prevent the refrigerant from flowing to a freezing chamber evaporator is omitted, thereby achieving production cost reduction.

1 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a compressor;   a condenser to condense a refrigerant compressed by the compressor;   a freezing chamber and a refrigerating chamber;   a freezing chamber evaporator and a refrigerating chamber evaporator respectively installed in the freezing chamber and the refrigerating chamber to cool the freezing chamber and the refrigerating chamber;   a flow conversion valve to convert a flow of the refrigerant into the freezing chamber evaporator and the refrigerating chamber evaporator according to operation modes; and   a control unit to control the flow conversion valve such that an operation of the freezing chamber is performed first, when the refrigerator starts to be operated.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the flow conversion valve is a 3-way valve connected to a pipe at the side of an outlet of the condenser and to pipes at the sides of inlets of the freezing and refrigerating chamber evaporators. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the control unit controls the flow conversion valve such that a refrigerant recovery operation is performed after the operation of the freezing chamber and then an operation of the refrigerating chamber is performed, if it is judged that the operation of the refrigerating chamber is required. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator according to  claim 3 , wherein the refrigerant recovery operation is performed by operating the compressor under the condition that passages of the flow conversion valve in all directions are closed, so as to move the refrigerant distributed at the freezing chamber evaporator to the condenser. 
     
     
         5 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a freezing chamber and a refrigerating chamber;   a freezing chamber evaporator and a refrigerating chamber evaporator respectively installed in the freezing chamber and the refrigerating chamber to cool the freezing chamber and the refrigerating chamber;   a flow conversion valve to convert a flow of a refrigerant into the freezing chamber evaporator and the refrigerating chamber evaporator so as to form a parallel cycle independently controlling operations of the freezing chamber and the refrigerating chamber; and   a control unit to control the flow conversion valve such that the operation of the freezing chamber is performed first in the parallel cycle.   
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator according to  claim 5 , wherein the control unit performs a refrigerant recovery operation to recover the refrigerant distributed at the freezing chamber evaporator, after the operation of the freezing chamber. 
     
     
         7 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a freezing chamber and a refrigerating chamber;   a freezing chamber evaporator and a refrigerating chamber evaporator respectively installed in the freezing chamber and the refrigerating chamber to cool the freezing chamber and the refrigerating chamber;   a flow conversion valve to convert a flow of a refrigerant into the freezing chamber evaporator and the refrigerating chamber evaporator according to operation modes; and   a control unit to control the flow conversion valve such that a refrigerant recovery operation is performed before an operation of the refrigerating chamber.   
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator according to  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a compressor; and   a condenser to condense the refrigerant compressed by the compressor,   wherein the flow conversion valve is a 3-way valve connected to a pipe at the side of an outlet of the condenser and to pipes at the sides of inlets of the freezing and refrigerating chamber evaporators.   
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator according to  claim 8 , wherein the refrigerant recovery operation is performed by operating the compressor under the condition that passages of the flow conversion valve in all directions are closed, so as to move the refrigerant distributed at a low-pressure part to a high-pressure part. 
     
     
         10 . The refrigerator according to  claim 9 , wherein the low-pressure part is the freezing chamber evaporator. 
     
     
         11 . The refrigerator according to  claim 9 , wherein the high-pressure part is the condenser. 
     
     
         12 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a freezing chamber and a refrigerating chamber;   a freezing chamber evaporator and a refrigerating chamber evaporator respectively installed in the freezing chamber and the refrigerating chamber to cool the freezing chamber and the refrigerating chamber;   a flow conversion valve to convert a flow of a refrigerant into the freezing chamber evaporator and the refrigerating chamber evaporator so as to form a parallel cycle independently controlling operations of the freezing chamber and the refrigerating chamber; and   a control unit to control the flow conversion valve such that a refrigerant recovery operation is performed before the operation of the refrigerating chamber in the parallel cycle.   
     
     
         13 . A method of controlling an operation of a refrigerator, which is provided with a freezing chamber and a refrigerating chamber, and a freezing chamber evaporator and a refrigerating chamber evaporator to cool the freezing chamber and the refrigerating chamber, comprising:
 judging whether or not it is time to start an operation of the refrigerator; and   performing an operation of the freezing chamber first, if it is judged that it is time to start the operation of the refrigerator.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the performance of the operation of the freezing chamber is achieved by opening a passage, in a direction of the freezing chamber, of a flow conversion valve to convert a flow of a refrigerant into the freezing chamber evaporator and the refrigerating chamber evaporator. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , further comprising:
 judging whether or not an operation of the refrigerating chamber is required; and   performing a refrigerant recovery operation to recover the refrigerant distributed at the freezing chamber evaporator and then performing the operation of the refrigerating chamber, if it is judged that the operation of the refrigerating chamber is required.   
     
     
         16 . A method of controlling an operation of a refrigerator, which is provided with a freezing chamber and a refrigerating chamber, and a freezing chamber evaporator and a refrigerating chamber evaporator to cool the freezing chamber and the refrigerating chamber, comprising:
 judging whether or not it is time to operate the refrigerating chamber;   performing a refrigerant recovery operation first to recover a refrigerant distributed at a low-pressure part, if it is judged that it is time to operate the refrigerating chamber; and   performing an operation of the refrigerating chamber after the refrigerant recovery operation.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the refrigerant recovery operation is not performed after operation of a compressor of the refrigerator has been completed.