Refrigerator

Abstract

The refrigerator of the present disclosure is configured such that a hot gas flow path is in contact with a return flow path. Therefore, a refrigerant recovered by a compressor after defrosting one evaporator via the hot gas flow path and cooling the other evaporator is in a gaseous state, thereby protecting the compressor.

1 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant;   a condenser configured to condense the refrigerant compressed by the compressor and to discharge the condensed refrigerant to a discharge tube;   a first expansion valve configured to decompress the refrigerant condensed by the condenser;   a first evaporator configured to evaporate the refrigerant decompressed by the first expansion valve;   a first flow path configured to guide a flow of the refrigerant passing through the first expansion valve and the first evaporator from the discharge tube;   a hot gas flow path that guides a flow of the refrigerant such that at least a portion of the hot gas flow path passes through the first evaporator without passing through the first expansion valve from the discharge tube; and   a return flow path that guides the flow of refrigerant returned to the compressor while the first flow path and the hot gas flow path are connected,   wherein at least a portion of the hot gas flow path is in contact with at least a portion of the return flow path.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the hot gas flow path includes a first path extending from the discharge tube to the first evaporator, and a second path extending from the first path and passing through the first evaporator, and the first path is in contact with the return flow path. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the hot gas flow path is configured such that a contact portion between the hot gas flow path and the return flow path is fixed by welding or bonding. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the first expansion valve is in contact with the return flow path. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator of  claim 4 , wherein the first expansion valve contacts a circumference of a portion of the return flow path that is different from a portion where the hot gas flow path is in contact with the return flow path. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator of  claim 4 , wherein the first expansion valve contacts with a circumference of a portion where the hot gas flow path is in contact with the return flow path. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator of  claim 6 , wherein the first expansion valve is positioned on a side opposite to the position of the hot gas flow path with respect to the center of the return flow path when viewed from the axial direction of the return flow path. 
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , further comprising a second expansion valve for decompressing the refrigerant condensed in the condenser and providing the decompressed refrigerant to a second evaporator,
 wherein at least a portion of the second expansion valve is in contact with the return flow path.   
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator of  claim 8 , wherein the second expansion valve contacts a circumference of a portion of the return flow path that is different from a portion where the hot gas flow path is in contact with the return flow path. 
     
     
         10 . The refrigerator of  claim 8 , wherein the second expansion valve contacts a circumference of a portion where the hot gas flow path is in contact with the return flow path. 
     
     
         11 . The refrigerator of  claim 8 , wherein the second expansion valve is positioned on a side opposite to the position of the hot gas flow path with respect to the center of the return flow path when viewed from the axial direction of the return flow path. 
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , further comprising a second expansion valve for decompressing the refrigerant condensed in the condenser and providing the decompressed refrigerant to a second evaporator,
 wherein at least a portion of the first expansion valve and the second expansion valve are each in contact with the circumference of the return flow path.   
     
     
         13 . The refrigerator of  claim 12 , wherein the first expansion valve, the second expansion valve, and the hot gas flow path are each disposed so as to be symmetrical with each other from the center of the return flow path when viewed from the axial direction of the return flow path. 
     
     
         14 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second expansion valve decompressing the refrigerant condensed in the condenser;   a second evaporator evaporating the refrigerant decompressed in the second expansion valve; and   a second flow path connected to the return flow path after passing through the second expansion valve and the second evaporator from the discharge tube to guide the flow of the refrigerant.   
     
     
         15 . The refrigerator of  claim 14 , wherein the hot gas flow path includes a physical property adjustment part configured to adjust physical properties of the refrigerant flowing to the second evaporator through the first evaporator. 
     
     
         16 . The refrigerator of  claim 15 , wherein at least a portion of the physical property adjustment part is in contact with the return flow path. 
     
     
         17 . The refrigerator of  claim 15 , wherein at least a portion of the second expansion valve and the physical property adjustment part are each in contact with the circumference of the return flow path  211 . 
     
     
         18 . The refrigerator of  claim 17 , wherein the physical property adjustment part is positioned opposite to the position of the second expansion valve when viewed from the center of the return flow path. 
     
     
         19 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a first flow path for guiding a refrigerant condensed in a condenser to sequentially pass through a first expansion valve and a first evaporator;   a second flow path for guiding the refrigerant condensed in the condenser to sequentially pass a second expansion valve and a second evaporator;   a hot gas flow path for guiding the flow of the refrigerant such that at least a portion of the refrigerant condensed in the condenser passes through the first evaporator without passing through the first expansion valve; and   a return flow path for guiding the flow of the refrigerant returned to a compressor through the first evaporator or the second evaporator,   wherein the return flow path is heat-exchanged with the hot gas flow path.   
     
     
         20 . The refrigerator of  claim 19 , wherein the return flow path is further heat-exchanged with at least one of the first expansion valve or the second expansion valve.