Refrigerators with hybrid thermoelectric and compressor-based refrigeration systems

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a freezer compartment, a fresh food compartment, and an ice compartment. The refrigerator also includes at least one evaporator configured to cool at least one of the fresh food compartment and the freezer compartment. The refrigerator further includes a condenser configured to supply a refrigerant to the at least one evaporator and a compressor configured to receive the refrigerant from the at least one evaporator and supply the refrigerant to the condenser. In addition, the refrigerator includes a thermoelectric heat pump system having (i) a first side secondary loop configured to dissipate heat through a heat exchange loop and (ii) a second side secondary loop configured to cool at least one of the fresh food compartment and the ice compartment.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a freezer compartment;   a fresh food compartment;   an ice compartment;   at least one evaporator configured to cool at least one of the fresh food compartment and the freezer compartment;   a condenser configured to supply a refrigerant to the at least one evaporator; and   a compressor configured to receive the refrigerant from the at least one evaporator and supply the refrigerant to the condenser; and   a thermoelectric heat pump system comprising (i) a first side secondary loop configured to dissipate heat through a heat exchange loop and (ii) a second side secondary loop configured to cool at least one of the fresh food compartment and the ice compartment.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , where the heat exchange loop is attached to at least one of:
 an inner side of an envelope of the refrigerator;   a liquid-to-air heat exchanger; and   a cold liquid container located within the fresh food compartment.   
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator of  claim 2 , where the cold liquid container is a cold water reservoir for the refrigerator. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , where the thermoelectric heat pump system is further configured to reverse a direction of a polarity of the thermoelectric heat pump system such that the second side secondary loop operates as a defroster for at least one of the freezer compartment and the fresh food compartment. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , where the thermoelectric heat pump system is further configured to reverse a direction of a polarity of the thermoelectric heat pump system such that the second side secondary loop operates as an ice harvesting heater. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , where the thermoelectric heat pump system is further configured to cool the fresh food compartment and the ice compartment sequentially. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , where the thermoelectric heat pump system is further configured to cool the fresh food compartment and the ice compartment simultaneously. 
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a subcooler configured to be cooled by the thermoelectric heat pump system, the subcooler configured to cool the refrigerant supplied by the condenser to the at least one evaporator.   
     
     
         9 . A method of operating a refrigerator, the method comprising:
 cooling, via a vapor-compression refrigeration system, a fresh food compartment and a freezer compartment of the refrigerator; and   cooling, via a thermoelectric heat pump system, at least one of the fresh food compartment or an ice compartment of the refrigerator;   where the vapor-compression refrigeration system comprises:
 at least one evaporator configured to cool at least one of the fresh food compartment and the freezer compartment; 
 a condenser configured to supply a refrigerant to the at least one evaporator; and 
 a compressor configured to receive the refrigerant from the at least one evaporator and supply the refrigerant to the condenser; and 
   where the thermoelectric heat pump system comprises (i) a first side secondary loop configured to dissipate heat through a heat exchange loop and (ii) a second side secondary loop configured to cool the at least one of the fresh food compartment and the ice compartment.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 reversing a direction of a polarity of the thermoelectric heat pump system such that the second side secondary loop operates as a defroster for at least one of the freezer compartment and the fresh food compartment.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 reversing a direction of a polarity of the thermoelectric heat pump system such that the second side secondary loop operates as an ice harvesting heater.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 cooling the fresh food compartment and the ice compartment sequentially based on an air temperature within the food compartment and an air temperature within the ice compartment.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , where the fresh food compartment and the ice compartment are cooled simultaneously. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 providing cooling, via the thermoelectric heat pump system, to a subcooler configured to cool the refrigerant supplied by the condenser to the at least one evaporator.   
     
     
         15 . An icemaker configured for installation in a refrigerator, the icemaker comprising:
 a thermoelectric heat pump system comprising a first side and a second side, the second side configured to provide cooling for the icemaker, the first side configured to dissipate heat within a compartment of the refrigerator.   
     
     
         16 . The icemaker of  claim 15 , where the compartment is a fresh food compartment. 
     
     
         17 . The icemaker of  claim 15 , where the first side comprises heat transfer fins configured to dissipate the heat within the compartment of the refrigerator. 
     
     
         18 . The icemaker of  claim 15 , where the second side comprises heat transfer fins configured to cool an ice compartment of the refrigerator. 
     
     
         19 . The icemaker of  claim 18 , where the ice compartment is located within a door of the refrigerator or the compartment of the refrigerator. 
     
     
         20 . The icemaker of  claim 15 , where the thermoelectric heat pump system is further configured to reverse a direction of a polarity of the thermoelectric heat pump system such that the second side operates as an ice harvesting heater.