Refrigerator

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a main body with a storage compartment arranged therein, a cooling unit configured to cool air of the storage compartment, and a radiation unit configured to radiate heat of the cooling unit. The cooling unit includes a Peltier device. The radiation unit includes a water jacket, a radiator, and a coolant flow path. The water jacket is configured to contact a radiation surface of the Peltier device to absorb heat radiated from the radiation surface into a coolant. The radiator is arranged in the main body so as to be spaced apart from the cooling unit. The radiator is configured to radiate heat absorbed by the coolant in the water jacket to an outside of the main body. The coolant flow path is configured to allow the coolant to circulate therethrough between the water jacket and the radiator.

1 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a main body having a storage compartment therein;   a cooling unit including a Peltier device having a cooling surface facing the storage compartment, and a radiation surface, wherein the Peltier device is configured to transfer heat from the cooling surface to the radiation surface to cool the storage compartment when a current is supplied to the Peltier device; and   a radiation unit including a water jacket contacting the radiation surface to absorb heat radiated from the radiation surface into a coolant in the water jacket, a radiator in the main body and spaced apart from the cooling unit and configured to radiate heat absorbed by the coolant to an outside of the main body, and a coolant flow path configured to circulate the coolant between the water jacket and the radiator.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the water jacket includes an internal space through which the coolant flows, and a heat transfer structure expanding a heat exchange area between the water jacket and the coolant in the internal space. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator of  claim 2 , wherein the heat transfer structure includes a plurality of fins protruding from an inner surface of the water jacket toward the internal space. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator of  claim 3 , wherein
 the water jacket includes a water cooling block contacting the radiation surface of the Peltier device and a cover block coupled to the water cooling block to form the internal space therebetween, and   the plurality of fins protrude from the water cooling block to the internal space.   
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a sealing member between the water cooling block and the cover block, and pressed by protrusion end portions of the plurality of fins.   
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator of  claim 2 , wherein the water jacket includes an inlet to introduce the coolant into the internal space, and an outlet, above the inlet, to discharge the coolant from the internal space. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a cooling heat sink mounted on the cooling surface to exchange heat with air in the storage compartment, wherein the water jacket is fixed to the cooling heat sink with the Peltier device therebetween; and   a spacer between the water jacket and the cooling heat sink, and surrounding the Peltier device.   
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the coolant flows in a laminar state in the water jacket. 
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling unit is above the radiator. 
     
     
         10 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling unit includes a plurality of Peltier devices. 
     
     
         11 . The refrigerator of  claim 10 , wherein the radiation unit includes a plurality of water jackets respectively corresponding to the plurality of Peltier devices. 
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator of  claim 11 , wherein the coolant flow path connects the plurality of water jackets in parallel to the radiator. 
     
     
         13 . The refrigerator of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of Peltier devices are spaced apart from each other in an up/down direction. 
     
     
         14 . The refrigerator of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a control unit configured to separately control currents flowing through the plurality of Peltier devices.   
     
     
         15 . The refrigerator of  claim 14 , wherein the control unit is further configured to control the plurality of Peltier devices such that some Peltier devices among the plurality of Peltier devices operate in a defrosting mode and other Peltier devices among the plurality of Peltier devices operate in a cooling mode.