Refrigerator using a water-cooled condenser

Abstract

Proposed is a refrigerator using a water-cooled condenser, the refrigerator including a cabinet constituting a storage space, an evaporator configured to receive refrigerant from outside and evaporate the received refrigerant to cool the storage space of the cabinet, a compressor connected to the evaporator to receive refrigerant from the evaporator and compress the received refrigerant, a water-cooled condenser connected to the compressor to receive the compressed refrigerant, configured to cool the received refrigerant using cooling water to liquefy the refrigerant, and configured to supply the liquefied refrigerant to the evaporator, and an expansion means provided between the evaporator and the water-cooled condenser, and configured to lower an internal pressure of refrigerant supplied from the water-cooled condenser to the evaporator, so that the refrigerant may evaporate in the evaporator.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refrigerator using a water-cooled condenser, the refrigerator comprising:
 a cabinet constituting a storage space;   an evaporator configured to receive refrigerant from outside and evaporate the received refrigerant to cool the storage space of the cabinet;   a compressor connected to the evaporator to receive refrigerant from the evaporator and compress the received refrigerant;   a water-cooled condenser connected to the compressor to receive the compressed refrigerant, configured to cool the received refrigerant using cooling water to liquefy the refrigerant, and configured to supply the liquefied refrigerant to the evaporator; and   an expansion means provided between the evaporator and the water-cooled condenser, and configured to lower an internal pressure of refrigerant supplied from the water-cooled condenser to the evaporator, so that the refrigerant may evaporate in the evaporator.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the cabinet comprises a first cabinet and a second cabinet, and
 the evaporator comprises:   a first evaporator provided in the first cabinet to receive refrigerant from the outside and evaporate the received refrigerant to cool a storage space of the first cabinet; and   a second evaporator provided in the second cabinet to receive refrigerant from the outside and evaporate the received refrigerant to cool a storage space of the second cabinet.   
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator of  claim 2 , wherein the expansion means comprises:
 a first capillary tube provided between the water-cooled condenser and the first evaporator, and configured to lower an internal pressure of refrigerant supplied from the water-cooled condenser to the first evaporator, so that the refrigerant may evaporate in the evaporator; and   a second capillary tube provided between the water-cooled condenser and the second first evaporator, and configured to lower an internal pressure of refrigerant supplied from the water-cooled condenser to the second evaporator, so that the refrigerant may evaporate in the evaporator,   wherein between the first and second capillary tubes and the water-cooled condenser, a branch valve is provided to allow refrigerant that has passed through the water-cooled condenser to be supplied separately to the first capillary tube and the second capillary tube.   
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the water-cooled condenser has a structure in which plates are stacked alternately to form a space where liquid may flow, and receives refrigerant from the compressor and receives water from the outside to cool the refrigerant. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator of  claim 4 , wherein the water-cooled condenser comprises:
 an upper plate;   a lower plate located relatively lower than the upper plate;   the plates spaced apart from each other between the upper plate and the lower plate to form a passage for refrigerant and cooling water to pass through;   a refrigerant supply pipe with a first end thereof connected to the compressor and a second end thereof connected to a first upper side of the upper plate, so that refrigerant that has passed through the compressor is supplied between the plates;   a refrigerant discharge pipe with a first end thereof connected to a second upper side of the upper plate and a second end thereof connected to the expansion means, so that the refrigerant that has passed through the passage formed between the plates is supplied to the expansion means;   a cooling water supply pipe connected to a second lower side of the upper plate to allow cooling water supplied from the outside to be supplied between the plates; and   a cooling water discharge pipe connected to a first lower side of the upper plate to allow the cooling water that has passed through the passage formed between the plates to be discharged to the outside.