Method for operating a refrigeration appliance and refrigeration appliance

Abstract

A method for controlling a refrigeration appliance includes providing storage compartments each assigned a desired temperature and a temperature sensor measuring an actual temperature of the storage compartment. A main storage compartment is determined by maximum heat intake of all storage compartments. First auxiliary storage compartments are cooled simultaneously with the main storage compartment. A refrigerant circuit has a compressor with adjustable conveying capacity, a condenser, and at least one evaporator. A control unit has a closed-loop controller for closed-loop control of conveying capacity. Each storage compartment is allocated switch-on and switch-off temperatures in addition to the desired temperature. The refrigerant circuit has actuators guiding refrigerant and/or an air circuit has actuators guiding cold air. A refrigeration requirement for each storage compartment is checked. The control unit actuates the compressor and the actuators to supply storage compartments, which can be cooled simultaneously, with a refrigeration requirement.

1 . A method for controlling a refrigeration appliance, the method comprising:
 providing a plurality of storage compartments each being assigned a desired temperature and each having a temperature sensor for measuring an actual temperature of the storage compartment;   determining a main storage compartment by a maximum heat intake of all of the storage compartments and first auxiliary storage compartments configured to be cooled simultaneously with the main storage compartment;   providing a refrigerant circuit having a compressor with an adjustable conveying capacity, a condenser, and at least one evaporator;   providing a control unit having a closed-loop controller for a closed-loop control of a conveying capacity;   allocating to each storage compartment a switch-on temperature and a switch-off temperature in addition to the desired temperature;   providing at least one of actuators of the refrigerant circuit to guide refrigerant or actuators of an air circuit to guide cold air;   checking each storage compartment as to whether the storage compartment has a refrigeration requirement; and   using the control unit to actuate the compressor and the actuators to supply storage compartments, configured to be cooled simultaneously, with a refrigeration requirement.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , which further comprises providing the refrigeration appliance with second auxiliary storage compartments which cannot be cooled simultaneously with the main storage compartment, prioritizing the refrigeration requirements of all of the storage compartments with one priority each, and making a decision regarding a section of the storage compartments to be cooled;
 when the storage compartment with a highest priority is the main storage compartment or a first auxiliary storage compartment, cooling the storage compartment with the highest priority and storage compartments, which can be cooled simultaneously therewith, with a refrigeration requirement; and   when the storage compartment with the highest priority is a second auxiliary storage compartment, cooling the second auxiliary storage compartment and auxiliary compartments, which can be cooled simultaneously therewith, with a refrigeration requirement.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , which further comprises providing the refrigeration appliance with only first auxiliary storage compartments which can be cooled simultaneously with the main storage compartment, prioritizing the refrigeration requirements of all of the storage compartments with one priority each, and making a decision regarding a selection of the storage compartments to be cooled;
 when the storage compartment with a highest priority is the main storage compartment only cooling the main storage compartment; and   when the storage compartment with the highest priority is a first auxiliary storage compartment only cooling the first auxiliary storage compartment and, simultaneously therewith, the main storage compartment.   
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 2 , which further comprises assigning a threshold value temperature to each storage compartment and setting the priority of the refrigeration requirements of a storage compartment to zero when at least one of an actual temperature is below the threshold value temperature or an actual temperature is above the threshold value temperature rises. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , which further comprises setting the priority of the refrigeration requirements proportionally with a difference between the actual temperature and the threshold value temperature. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 3 , which further comprises assigning a threshold value temperature to each storage compartment and setting the priority of the refrigeration requirements of a storage compartment to zero when at least one of an actual temperature is below the threshold value temperature or an actual temperature is above the threshold value temperature rises. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , which further comprises setting the priority of the refrigeration requirements proportionally with a difference between the actual temperature and the threshold value temperature. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 4 , which further comprises setting the threshold value temperature above the desired temperature of a respective storage compartment or at least equal to the switch-on temperature of the storage compartment. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 6 , which further comprises setting the threshold value temperature above the desired temperature of a respective storage compartment or at least equal to the switch-on temperature of the storage compartment. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 2 , which further comprises evaluating the refrigeration requirements and the priorities quasi continuously using regular calculation steps for all of the storage compartments. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , which further comprises setting the refrigeration requirement for each auxiliary storage compartment when the actual temperature exceeds the switch-on temperature, and cancelling the refrigeration requirement for each auxiliary storage compartment when the actual temperature is below the switch-off temperature. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , which further comprises setting the refrigeration requirement for the main storage compartment when the actual temperature exceeds the switch-on temperature, and cancelling the refrigeration requirement for the main storage compartment when the actual temperature is below the switch-off temperature or a refrigeration requirement is constantly set for the main storage compartment. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1 , which further comprises determining a refrigeration need for each storage compartment, and determining the conveying capacity from the refrigeration needs of all of the storage compartments. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 1 , which further comprises operating the compressor continuously and only switching off the compressor when an auxiliary storage compartment does not have a refrigeration requirement, and the actual temperature of the main storage compartment is below its switch-off temperature. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , which further comprises switching off the compressor upon additionally determining a conveying capacity which is smaller than a minimum conveying capacity. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 1 , which further comprises providing a storage compartment or a combination of storage compartments with a predetermined minimum supply time. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 1 , which further comprises after switching the actuators, colling the auxiliary compartments as long as there is an appropriate requirement. 
     
     
         18 . A refrigeration appliance, comprising:
 a plurality of storage compartments each being assigned a desired temperature and a temperature sensor for measuring an actual temperature of a respective storage compartment;   a main storage compartment being determined by a maximum heat intake of all of said storage compartments;   first auxiliary storage compartments configured to be cooled simultaneously with said main storage compartment;   a refrigerant circuit having a compressor with an adjustable conveying capacity, a condenser, and at least one evaporator;   a control unit having a closed-loop controller for a closed-loop control of a conveying capacity;   at least one of actuators of said refrigerant circuit for guiding refrigerant or actuators of an air circuit for guiding cold air; and   said control unit configured to control the refrigeration appliance in accordance with the method of  claim 1 .   
     
     
         19 . The refrigeration appliance according to  claim 18 , wherein said at least one evaporator of said refrigerant circuit includes a plurality of evaporators each being assigned to a respective storage compartment, and said actuators of said refrigerant circuit are directional valves switching refrigerant guide paths to said plurality of evaporators. 
     
     
         20 . The refrigeration appliance according to  claim 18 , wherein said air circuit is at least one air circuit assigned to a plurality of said storage compartments, and said actuators of said at least one air circuit include a fan and air flaps switching air paths to said plurality of storage compartments.