Refrigerator and heat exchanger for the same

Abstract

A refrigerator having a freezer compartment and a refrigerator compartment that circulates two individual refrigerating cycles using two compressors so as to individually cool the freezer compartment and the refrigerator compartment. The refrigerator includes two compressors, one dual path condenser, two expansion valves, and two evaporators. The dual path condenser has two individual condensation paths.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a body;   a first storage compartment formed in the body;   a second storage compartment that is formed in the body and insulated from the first storage compartment;   a first refrigerating unit comprising a first compressor to compress a first refrigerant, a first expansion valve to expand the first refrigerant, and a first evaporator to evaporate the first refrigerant, the first refrigerating unit supplying cold air to the first storage compartment;   a second refrigerating unit comprising a second compressor to compress a second refrigerant, a second expansion valve to expand the second refrigerant, and a second evaporator to evaporate the second refrigerant, the second refrigerating unit supplying cold air to the second storage compartment; and   a dual path condenser comprising a tube that has a body and a plurality of channels formed in the body and heat dissipation fins that contact the body of the tube,   wherein portions of the plurality of channels constitute a first condensation path on which the first refrigerant is condensed, the other portions of the plurality of channels constitute a second condensation path which is formed independently of the first condensation path and on which the second refrigerant is condensed, and heat of the refrigerant that passes through one of the first condensation path and the second condensation path is transferred to the entire body and is dissipated through the entire body.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the tube is formed as one body. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the dual path condenser further comprises:
 a first inlet through which the first refrigerant is introduced;   a first outlet through which the first refrigerant flows out after passing through the first condensation path and being condensed;   a second inlet through which the second refrigerant is introduced; and   a second outlet through which the second refrigerant flows out after passing through the second condensation path and being condensed.   
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator according to  claim 3 , wherein the dual path condenser further comprises at least one header in which the first inlet, the first outlet, the second inlet and the second outlet are formed. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the heat dissipation fins has a width corresponding to a width of the tube, and the heat dissipation fins are formed as one body. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , further comprising a machine compartment formed in the body,
 wherein the first compressor, the second compressor, and the dual path condenser are disposed in the machine compartment.   
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator according to  claim 6 , further comprising a blower fan disposed in the machine compartment so as to cool the first compressor, the second compressor, and the dual path condenser. 
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator according to  claim 7 , wherein the first compressor is disposed at one side of an inside of the machine compartment, the second compressor is disposed at the other side of the inside of the machine compartment, and the dual path condenser and the blower fan are disposed between the first compressor and the second compressor. 
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator according to  claim 8 , wherein the blower fan allows air to forcibly flow from one of the first compressor and the second compressor having a relatively small amount of heat generation toward the other one of the first compressor and the second compressor. 
     
     
         10 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a body;   a first storage compartment formed in the body;   a second storage compartment that is formed in the body and insulated from the first storage compartment;   a first refrigerating unit comprising a first compressor to compress a first refrigerant, a first expansion valve to expand the first refrigerant, and a first evaporator to evaporate the first refrigerant, the first refrigerating unit supplying cold air to the first storage compartment;   a second refrigerating unit comprising a second compressor to compress a second refrigerant, a second expansion valve to expand the second refrigerant, and a second evaporator to evaporate the second refrigerant, the second refrigerating unit supplying cold air to the second storage compartment; and   a dual path condenser comprising a first tube to condense the first refrigerant, a second tube to condense the second refrigerant and being formed independently of the first tube, and heat dissipation fins that contact all of the first tube and the second tube so that heat of the refrigerant that passes through one of the first tube and the second tube is dissipated through all of the heat dissipation fins.   
     
     
         11 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 a first inlet and a second inlet through which a refrigerant is introduced;   a first outlet and a second outlet through which the refrigerant flows out;   a tube that constitutes a first heat exchange path on which the refrigerant introduced through the first inlet is heat-exchanged and flows out through the first outlet and a second heat exchange path on which the refrigerant introduced through the second inlet is heat-exchanged and flows out through the second outlet and which is formed independently of the first heat exchange path, the tube heat-exchanging heat of the refrigerant that passes through one of the first heat exchange path and the second heat exchange path through the entire tube; and   heat-exchanging fins that contact the tube.   
     
     
         12 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 11 , wherein the tube is formed as one body. 
     
     
         13 . A heat exchanger for a refrigerator, the heat exchanger comprising:
 a first inlet and a second inlet through which a refrigerant is introduced;   a first outlet and a second outlet through which the refrigerant flows out;   a first heat-exchanging tube that heat-exchanges the refrigerant introduced through the first inlet and allows the refrigerant to flow out through the first outlet;   a second heat-exchanging tube that heat-exchanges the refrigerant introduced through the second inlet and allows the refrigerant to flow out through the second outlet, the second heat-exchanging tube being formed independently of the first heat-exchanging tube; and   heat-exchanging fins that contact all of the first heat-exchanging tube and the second heat-exchanging tube so that heat of the refrigerant that passes through one of the first heat-exchanging tube and the second heat-exchanging tube is heat-exchanged through all of the heat-exchanging fins.   
     
     
         14 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a first header and a second header each having an outer wall that constitutes an internal space and an opening formed in the outer wall, the first and second heat-exchanging tubes each having one end inserted into the internal space of the first header through the opening of the first header and the other end inserted into the internal space of the second header through the opening of the second header so as to communicate the internal space of the first header with the internal space of the second header, the first inlet, second inlet and second outlet being formed in the first header, and the first outlet being formed in the second header; and   baffles disposed in the internal spaces of the first and second headers so as to partition off the internal space of the first and second headers.   
     
     
         15 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 14 , wherein the baffles include a stopper formed in the baffle to limit an insertion depth of the first or second heat-exchanging tubes. 
     
     
         16 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 15 , wherein the stopper includes a groove to accommodate portions of the first or second heat-exchanging tubes, respectively. 
     
     
         17 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 14 , wherein each of the openings of the first and second headers has a rectangular shape and is formed in parallel to the first header or the second header. 
     
     
         18 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 17 , wherein each of the openings is sealed by the first or second heat-exchanging tubes, respectively.