Refrigerator and method for controlling same

Abstract

A method for controlling a refrigerator includes operating, for a predetermined period of time, a heating element of a sensor disposed on a bypass passage which allows a portion of air to bypass an evaporator disposed in a heat-exchange space; sensing the temperature of the heating element in on or off state; and sensing the blockage of an air passage in the heat-exchange space on the basis of the difference in value of the temperature between a first sensed temperature, which is the lowest value, and a second sensed temperature, which is the highest value, from among the sensed temperatures of the heating element.

1 . A control method by a refrigerator, comprising:
 operating a heat generating element of a sensor disposed in a bypass passage for a predetermined period of time, the bypass passage allowing a portion of air flow to bypass an evaporator disposed in a heat-exchange space;   detecting a temperature of the heat generating element in a state in which the heat generating element is turned on or off; and   detecting clogging of an air passage in the heat-exchange space based on a temperature difference between a first detection temperature that is a lowest value and a second detection temperature that is a highest value among detection temperatures of the heat generating element.   
     
     
         2 . The control method of  claim 1 , wherein the first detection temperature is a temperature detected by a sensing element of the sensor immediately after the heat generating element is turned on. 
     
     
         3 . The control method of  claim 1 , wherein the second detection temperature is a temperature detected by a sensing element of the sensor immediately after the heat generating element is turned off. 
     
     
         4 . The control method of  claim 1 , wherein the first detection temperature is the lowest value during a period of time when the heat generating element is turned on. 
     
     
         5 . The control method of  claim 1 , wherein the second detection temperature is the highest value during a period of time when the heat generating element is turned on. 
     
     
         6 . The control method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 performing a defrosting operation of the evaporator when a temperature difference value between the first detection temperature and the second detection temperature is less than a first reference value.   
     
     
         7 . The control method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 updating a temperature difference value between the first detection temperature and the second detection temperature; and   displaying in a display, failure of the sensor when the updated temperature difference value exceeds a second reference value which is greater than the first reference value.   
     
     
         8 . The control method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 determining whether the updated temperature difference value is less than a third reference value which is less than the second reference value when the updated temperature difference value is less than the second reference value; and   displaying in the display, the clogging of the air passage in the heat-exchange space when the updated temperature difference value exceeds the third reference value.   
     
     
         9 . The control method of  claim 8 , wherein the clogging of the air passage is at least one of clogging of a cool air inflow hole of a cool air duct, clogging of a cool air discharge hole of the cool air duct, clogging of a blowing fan provided in the cool air duct, and clogging of the bypass passage. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 determining whether the updated temperature difference value is less than a fourth reference value which is less than the third reference value when the updated temperature difference value is less than the third reference value; and   performing the defrosting operation of the evaporator when the updated temperature difference value is less than the fourth reference value.   
     
     
         11 . The control method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 determining whether the updated temperature difference value is increased by a predetermined value or more compared to a temperature difference value before the updated temperature difference value; and   performing the defrosting operation of the evaporator when the updated temperature difference value is increased by the predetermined value or more compared to the temperature difference value before the updated temperature difference value.   
     
     
         12 . The control method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 performing the defrosting operation of the evaporator according to whether the updated temperature difference value is less than the first reference value which is less than the fourth reference value when the updated temperature difference value is not increased by the predetermined value or more compared to the temperature difference value before the updated temperature difference value.   
     
     
         13 . A refrigerator comprising:
 an inner case including a storage space;   a cooling duct to guide flow of air in the storage space and defining a heat exchange space with the inner case;   an evaporator disposed in the heat exchange space;   a bypass passage to allow a portion of the air flow to bypass the evaporator;   a sensor including a heat generating element disposed in the bypass passage and a sensing element to detect a temperature of the heat generating element; and   a controller configured to detect clogging of an air passage in the heat-exchange space based on a temperature difference between a first detection temperature that is a lowest value and a second detection temperature that is a highest value among detection temperatures of the heat generating element.   
     
     
         14 . The refrigerator of  claim 13 , wherein the first detection temperature is a temperature detected by the sensing element immediately after the heat generating element is turned on, and
 wherein the second detection temperature is a temperature detected by the sensing element immediately after the heat generating element is turned off.   
     
     
         15 . The refrigerator of  claim 13 , wherein the first detection temperature is a lowest temperature value during a period of time when the heat generating element is turned on, and
 the second detection temperature is a highest temperature value during the period of time when the heat generating element is turned on.   
     
     
         16 . The refrigerator of  claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to perform a defrosting operation of the evaporator, when the temperature difference value between the first detection temperature and the second detection temperature is less than a first reference value, 
     
     
         17 . The refrigerator of  claim 16 , wherein the controller is configured to update the temperature difference value between the first detection temperature and the second detection temperature after the defrosting operation is completed,
 wherein failure of the sensor is displayed when the updated temperature difference value exceeds a second reference value which is greater than the first reference value.   
     
     
         18 . The refrigerator of  claim 17 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 determine whether the updated temperature difference value is less than a third reference value which is less than the second reference value when the updated temperature difference value is less than the second reference value, and   display in a display, the clogging of the air passage in the heat-exchange space when the updated temperature difference value exceeds the third reference value.   
     
     
         19 . The refrigerator of  claim 18 , wherein the display of the clogging of the air passage includes at least one of clogging of a cool air inflow hole of a cool air duct, clogging of a cool air discharge hole of the cool air duct, clogging of a blowing fan provided in the cool air duct and clogging of the bypass passage. 
     
     
         20 . The refrigerator of  claim 18 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 determine whether the updated temperature difference value is less than a fourth reference value which is less than the third reference value when the updated temperature difference value is less than the third reference value, and   perform the defrosting operation of the evaporator when the updated temperature difference value is less than the fourth reference value.