Refrigerator having a drying function, and operating method therefor

Abstract

A refrigerator contains a storage compartment, a heat exchanger chamber separate from the storage compartment, a heat exchanger which can be operated as an evaporator or as a heating unit, a fan for driving an exchange of air between the storage compartment and the heat exchanger chamber, and a control unit for controlling the operation of the heat exchanger, the fan and the heating unit. The control unit assists a drying operating mode in which the fan operates at the same time as the heating unit.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A refrigerator, comprising:
 a storage compartment;   a heat exchanger chamber separate from said storage compartment;   a heat exchanger which can be operated as an evaporator and as a heating unit and disposed in said heat exchanger chamber;   a fan disposed in said heat exchanger chamber for driving an exchange of air between said storage compartment and said heat exchanger chamber; and   a control unit for controlling an operation of said heat exchanger, said fan and said heating unit, said control unit assisting a drying operating mode in which said fan operates at a same time as said heating unit.   
     
     
         17 . The refrigerator according to  claim 16 , wherein in the drying operating mode, heating phases in which said fan is in operation at the same time as said heating unit alternate with cooling phases in which said heat exchanger functioning as said evaporator and said fan are in operation at a same time. 
     
     
         18 . The refrigerator according to  claim 17 , wherein between a cooling phase and a subsequent heating phase said control unit is configured to initiate a defrosting phase in which said heating unit is in operation without said fan. 
     
     
         19 . The refrigerator according to  claim 18 ,
 further comprising a heat exchanger temperature sensor; and   wherein said control unit is connected to said heat exchanger temperature sensor and is configured to transfer from the defrosting phase to the heating phase when a temperature of said heat exchanger has risen from a negative to a positive value.   
     
     
         20 . The refrigerator according to  claim 18 , wherein said control unit is configured to detect a duration of the defrosting phase and to terminate the drying operating mode if the duration falls below a threshold value. 
     
     
         21 . The refrigerator according to  claim 16 ,
 further comprising a storage compartment temperature sensor; and   said control unit is connected to said storage compartment temperature sensor and is configured to detect an alteration speed of a temperature of said storage compartment.   
     
     
         22 . The refrigerator according to  claim 16 ,
 further comprising a user interface; and   wherein said control unit is connected to said user interface and is configured to receive from said user interface an input from a user about a type of material loaded into said storage compartment.   
     
     
         23 . The refrigerator according to  claim 22 ,
 further comprising a set of scales disposed in said storage compartment in order to weigh the material loaded into said storage compartment; and   wherein said control unit is connected to said set of scales and uses a weight of the material, said control unit is configured to make a decision about a termination of the drying operating mode.   
     
     
         24 . The refrigerator according to  claim 16 , wherein said heat exchanger is able to be switched between operation as said evaporator and operation as said heating unit. 
     
     
         25 . The refrigerator according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 at least one throttle point; and   a refrigerant circuit, in said refrigerant circuit said heat exchanger is connected in series to said at least one throttle point, a throughflow rate of said throttle point being controlled by said control unit.   
     
     
         26 . The refrigerator according to  claim 16 , wherein said control unit is configured to transmit a message about a termination of an operating mode to a networked appliance. 
     
     
         27 . A method for drying material in a refrigerator, which comprises the steps of:
 introducing the material into a storage compartment of the refrigerator; and   circulating air between the storage compartment and a heat exchanger chamber in which the air is alternately heated in a heating phase and is cooled in a cooling phase by a heat exchanger operated as an evaporator.   
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein a drying step is performed and the drying step is terminated if at least one parameter has reached a threshold value, the parameter being selected from the group consisting of air humidity in the storage compartment, a duration of a drying process, a weight of the material, and a duration of a heating phase, a cooling phase or a defrosting phase of the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         29 . The method according  claim 28 , wherein the threshold value is fixed using an initial value of at least one of the parameter and/or a type of material. 
     
     
         30 . A method for drying material in a refrigerator, which comprises the steps of:
 introducing the material into a storage compartment of the refrigerator which is able to be temperature-controlled by a heat exchanger; and   alternately operating the heat exchanger as an evaporator and as a condenser.