Non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant cycle and refrigerator equipped therewith

Abstract

A non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant cycle and a refrigerator equipped with the same are disclosed. The non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant cycle includes a first refrigerant tube to guide a refrigerant from a condenser to a first evaporator, a second refrigerant tube to guide the refrigerant from the first evaporator to a second evaporator, a third refrigerant tube to guide the refrigerant from the second evaporator to a compressor. A downstream portion of the first refrigerant tube is arranged within the second refrigerant tube, to form a first heat exchanger having a double tube structure. An upstream portion of the first refrigerant tube is arranged within the third refrigerant tube, to form a second heat exchanger having a double tube structure. Thus, the first and second heat exchangers are simplified.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant cycle comprising:
 a compressor to compress a refrigerant;   a condenser to cool the refrigerant discharged from the compressor after receiving the refrigerant;   an expansion device to expand the refrigerant received from the condenser through pressure reduction;   a first evaporator to evaporate the refrigerant emerging from the expansion device after receiving the refrigerant from the expansion device;   a second evaporator to evaporate the refrigerant emerging from the first evaporator after receiving the refrigerant from the first evaporator;   a first refrigerant tube to guide the refrigerant from the condenser to the first evaporator;   a second refrigerant tube to guide the refrigerant from the first evaporator to the second evaporator;   a third refrigerant tube to guide the refrigerant from the second evaporator to the compressor; and   a first heat exchanger to cause heat exchange between a portion of the first refrigerant tube and the second refrigerant tube,   wherein the first heat exchanger is formed as a single unit with the first refrigerant tube and the second refrigerant tube.   
     
     
         2 . The non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant cycle according to  claim 1 , wherein the refrigerant, which passes through the first refrigerant tube, and the refrigerant, which passes through the second refrigerant tube, pass through the first heat exchanger in opposite directions, respectively. 
     
     
         3 . The non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant cycle according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second heat exchanger to cause heat exchange between a portion of the first refrigerant tube and the third refrigerant tube,   wherein the second heat exchanger is formed a single unit with the first refrigerant tube and the third refrigerant tube.   
     
     
         4 . The non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant cycle according to  claim 3 , wherein the refrigerant, which passes through the first refrigerant tube, and the refrigerant, which passes through the third refrigerant tube, pass through the second heat exchanger in opposite directions, respectively. 
     
     
         5 . The non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant cycle according to  claim 1 , wherein the expansion device is integrated with a portion of the first refrigerant tube arranged at a side of the evaporator. 
     
     
         6 . The non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant cycle according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an accumulator integrated with a portion of the third refrigerant tube arranged at a side of the compressor.   
     
     
         7 . The non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant cycle according to  claim 1 , the first heat exchanger is formed with a double tube structure in which the first refrigerant tube is arranged within the second refrigerant tube. 
     
     
         8 . The non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant cycle according to  claim 3 , the second heat exchanger is formed with a double tube structure in which the first refrigerant tube is arranged within the third refrigerant tube. 
     
     
         9 . The non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant cycle according to  claim 3 , wherein the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger are formed as a single unit with the first refrigerant tube, the second refrigerant tube, and the third refrigerant tube. 
     
     
         10 . A non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant cycle comprising:
 a compressor to compress a refrigerant;   a condenser to cool the refrigerant discharged from the compressor after receiving the refrigerant;   an expansion device to expand the refrigerant received from the condenser through pressure reduction;   a first evaporator to evaporate the refrigerant emerging from the expansion device after receiving the refrigerant from the expansion device;   a second evaporator to evaporate the refrigerant emerging from the first evaporator after receiving the refrigerant from the first evaporator;   a first refrigerant tube to guide the refrigerant from the condenser to the first evaporator;   a second refrigerant tube to guide the refrigerant from the first evaporator to the second evaporator;   a third refrigerant tube to guide the refrigerant from the second evaporator to the compressor; and   a heat exchanger to cause heat exchange between a portion of the first refrigerant tube and the third refrigerant tube,   wherein the heat exchanger is formed as a single unit with the first refrigerant tube and the third refrigerant tube.   
     
     
         11 . The non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant cycle according to  claim 10 , the heat exchanger is formed with a double tube structure in which the first refrigerant tube is arranged within the third refrigerant tube. 
     
     
         12 . A refrigerator comprising:
 freezing and refrigerating compartments;   a compressor to compress a refrigerant;   a condenser to cool the refrigerant discharged from the compressor after receiving the refrigerant;   a first evaporator to cool the freezing compartment;   a second evaporator to cool the refrigerating compartment;   a first refrigerant tube to guide the refrigerant from the condenser to the first evaporator;   a second refrigerant tube to guide the refrigerant from the first evaporator to the second evaporator;   a third refrigerant tube to guide the refrigerant from the second evaporator to the compressor;   a first heat exchanger to cause heat exchange between a downstream portion of the first refrigerant tube and the second refrigerant tube;   a second heat exchanger to cause heat exchange between an upstream portion of the first refrigerant tube and the third refrigerant tube,   wherein the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger are formed as a single unit with the first refrigerant tube, the second refrigerant tube, and the third refrigerant tube.   
     
     
         13 . The refrigerator according to  claim 12 , wherein the refrigerant, which passes through the first refrigerant tube, and the refrigerant, which passes through the second refrigerant tube, pass through the first heat exchanger in opposite directions, respectively. 
     
     
         14 . The refrigerator according to  claim 12 , wherein the first heat exchanger is formed with a double tube structure in which the first refrigerant tube is arranged within the second refrigerant tube, and the second heat exchanger is formed with a double tube structure in which the first refrigerant tube is arranged within the third refrigerant tube. 
     
     
         15 . The refrigerator according to  claim 12 , wherein the refrigerant, which passes through the first refrigerant tube, and the refrigerant, which passes through the third refrigerant tube, pass through the second heat exchanger in opposite directions, respectively. 
     
     
         16 . The refrigerator according to  claim 12 , wherein the expansion device is integrated with a portion of the first refrigerant tube arranged at a side of the evaporator. 
     
     
         17 . The refrigerator according to  claim 12 , further comprising:
 an accumulator integrated with a portion of the third refrigerant tube arranged at a side of the compressor.   
     
     
         18 . The refrigerator according to  claim 12 , wherein the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger are formed as a single unit with the first refrigerant tube, the second refrigerant tube, and the third refrigerant tube. 
     
     
         19 . A refrigerator comprising:
 freezing and refrigerating compartments;   a compressor to compress a refrigerant;   a condenser to cool the refrigerant discharged from the compressor after receiving the refrigerant;   a first evaporator to cool the freezing compartment;   a second evaporator to cool the refrigerating compartment;   a first refrigerant tube to guide the refrigerant from the condenser to the first evaporator;   a second refrigerant tube to guide the refrigerant from the first evaporator to the second evaporator;   a third refrigerant tube to guide the refrigerant from the second evaporator to the compressor;   a first heat exchanger to cause heat exchange between a downstream portion of the first refrigerant tube and the second refrigerant tube;   a second heat exchanger to cause heat exchange between an upstream portion of the first refrigerant tube and the third refrigerant tube,   wherein the refrigerant, which passes through the first refrigerant tube, and the refrigerant, which passes through second refrigerant tube, pass through the first heat exchanger in opposite directions, respectively, and   wherein the refrigerant, which passes through the first refrigerant tube, and the refrigerant, which passes through third refrigerant tube, pass through the second heat exchanger in opposite directions, respectively.