KR20100085274A - Method for controlling a refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A refrigerator control method is provided to operate a defrost mode and a pre-heating mode by using various input variable and to prevent power consumption from increased due to a defrost heater. CONSTITUTION: A refrigerator control method comprises the following steps. If the accumulative driving time of a compressor is longer than a first reference time or total accumulative time is greater than a second reference time, a free cooling mode is processed the cooling driving of a freezer by driving a compressor and a ventilation fan(S13). A defrosting mode is processed by stopping the compressor and the ventilation fan and by driving the defrost heater(S14). After completing the defrosting mode, the compressor is run by dropping the on/off reference temperature of the compressor for a period of time. After increasing the on/off reference temperature of the compressor to returns to the reference temperature by being gradually increased. The on/off reference temperature difference is multiplied more than the reference setting value. The refrigerator resets the refrigerator to the reference temperature if the events in the input of the door open of the input button etc is happened.

Description

How to control your refrigerator {METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A REFRIGERATOR}

The present invention relates to a refrigerator control method, and to a refrigerator control method capable of minimizing an increase in power consumption due to a sharp rise in temperature after defrosting an evaporator of a refrigerator.

In general, the refrigerator is a device for freshly storing the frozen food and the refrigerated food stored in the refrigerator by circulating the cold air generated by the freezing cycle to control the temperature in the freezer compartment and the refrigerator compartment.

Such a refrigeration cycle includes a compressor for compressing a low temperature low pressure refrigerant, a condenser for condensing the compressed high temperature high pressure refrigerant by external air, a capillary tube for decompressing and expanding the condensed refrigerant, a refrigerant expanded from the capillary tube and air inside the chamber It comprises an evaporator to heat exchange to generate cold air.

In a conventional refrigerator, a cooling operation for a freezer compartment is performed by controlling the compressor and a blowing fan on / off so that the inside temperature of the freezer compartment detected by the freezer compartment temperature sensor reaches a set temperature.

If the cooling operation is continued for a long time, the frost will form on the evaporator. When the defrost condition is satisfied during the cooling operation, the defrost heater is driven to remove the frost of the evaporator by the heater heat, and then the defrost temperature detected by the defrost temperature sensor When the defrost end temperature is reached, the defrost heater is turned off.

As described above, in the case of a refrigerator equipped with a temperature sensor in the freezer compartment, after the completion of defrosting, the refrigerator and the cooling fan operated by the temperature sensor are used to quickly stabilize the temperature, but in order to control the temperature of the refrigerator compartment, Refrigerator dampers have to be installed, which can be expensive.

On the other hand, in the case of a refrigerator equipped with a temperature sensor in the refrigerator compartment, since the compressor is operated based on the temperature of the refrigerator compartment, the temperature of the freezer compartment after defrosting may not be stabilized quickly.

In addition, since the internal temperature sensor and the defrost temperature sensor of the freezer should be provided, in order to solve the problem that may cause malfunction of the refrigerator due to sensor failure, Korean Laid-Open Patent No. 2008-0090944 discloses a function of controlling the temperature of the freezer and the defrosting function of the freezer compartment. A control method of a refrigerator is disclosed, which is controlled based on an outdoor air temperature instead of an internal temperature and a defrost temperature.

The control method of the refrigerator may include detecting an outside air temperature, setting an on / off time of the compressor and a defrost time of a defrost heater based on the detected outside air temperature, according to the on / off time of the set compressor. Performing a cooling operation on the freezer compartment, determining whether the defrosting operation condition is during the cooling operation, and when the defrosting operation condition is performed, turning on the defrost heater and turning off the set defrosting time.

However, controlling the defrost of the refrigerator and the cooling cycle of the compressor using only the outside temperature results in a decrease in the input variables for each part of the refrigerator, and as the number of the input variables decreases, the accuracy of the control may decrease. There was a problem that the deterioration of the power consumption due to the sharp rise in temperature after defrosting could not be detected.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, while improving the accuracy of the control according to various input variables and at the same time prevent the rapid rise of the internal temperature after defrosting control method of the refrigerator that can maintain the internal temperature constant It aims to provide.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a control method of a refrigerator that prevents an increase in power consumption due to a rapid temperature rise after defrosting and at the same time pursues rapid and efficient stability.

Another object of the present invention to provide a control method of a refrigerator for changing the operation cycle of the compressor to achieve the optimum cooling cycle during defrosting operation.

 In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a compressor, an evaporator installed in a cooling chamber of a freezer compartment, a defrost heater installed in the evaporator, and a control method of a refrigerator including an outside temperature sensor, wherein the cumulative operating time of the compressor (T1). Step), if the first reference time and the total cumulative time (T2) is more than the second reference time, the first step of performing a cooling operation mode for driving the compressor and the blowing fan to perform a cooling operation of the freezer compartment; A second step of stopping the compressor and the blower fan and driving the defrost heater to perform a defrost mode; A third step of driving the compressor by lowering the on / off reference temperature of the compressor for a predetermined time after the defrost mode is finished; A fourth step of increasing the on / off reference temperature of the compressor step by step to return to the reference temperature, and then increasing the on / off reference temperature difference than a reference set value; And a fifth step of resetting to the reference temperature when an event such as a door opening of the refrigerator or an input of an input button occurs.

The first reference time of the first step is 12 hours, and the second reference time is 72 hours.

In addition, the pre-cooling mode of the first step is characterized in that less than 25 minutes.

Further, in the first step, the cumulative operating time T1 of the compressor is less than the first reference time or the total cumulative time T2 is less than the second reference time, or the cumulative operating time T1 of the compressor is the first reference. Determining whether the cumulative operating time T1 of the compressor has exceeded a third reference time when the time less than the time and the total cumulative time T2 are less than a second reference time; A second step of determining whether an operation rate of the compressor in the refrigerating cycle exceeds 80% when the cumulative operation time T1 of the compressor exceeds a third reference time; A third step of determining whether an error occurs in various input variables including the outside temperature sensor when the second step is less than 80%; A fourth step of determining whether the outside temperature is 35 degrees or more when an error does not occur in the third step; A fifth step of determining whether the door is opened when the outside temperature is less than 35 degrees; When the predetermined time of the first process is exceeded or when 80% of the second process is exceeded or when an error of the third process occurs or when the degree of the fifth process is more than 35 degrees or when the door of the fifth process is opened Is characterized in that entering the defrost mode of the second process.

In addition, the third reference time is characterized in that 6 hours.

When the door is opened in the fifth process, the on / off temperature difference of the compressor may be reset to an initial value or an initial value.

In addition, the lowering of the reference temperature of the third step is characterized in that less than 2 ℃.

And, the predetermined time of the third step is characterized in that less than 2 hours.

In addition, the stepwise increase in the reference temperature of the fourth step is characterized in that less than 0.5 ℃.

In addition, the increase in the on / off reference temperature width of the fourth step is characterized in that each less than 0.4 ℃.

If the event of the fifth step does not occur, the method returns to the first step.

As described above, the defrost mode and the preheating mode are performed by using various input variables having the above-described configuration, and the temperature is predicted to lower the temperature in advance in order to prevent power deterioration due to the defrost heater even after defrosting. In addition to improving the accuracy of the control, it is possible to maintain a constant temperature in the refrigerator.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a cross-sectional view and a block diagram illustrating a refrigerator to which a refrigerator control method according to the present invention is applied. As shown in (a) cross-sectional view and (b) block diagram of Figure 1, the refrigerator forms the outer body and the cabinet 10, the freezer compartment 11, the refrigerating chamber 12 for storing and storing the storage material up and down ), A component constituting a refrigeration cycle for generating cold air and supplying it to the freezing compartment 11 and the refrigerating compartment 12, and a door 20 for opening and closing the freezing compartment 11 and the refrigerating compartment 12.

In addition, the cabinet 10 is provided in a housing filled with urethane foam insulation therein, a lower portion of the machine room 13 is provided with various electrical equipment is installed, the machine room 13 is a component forming a refrigeration cycle, That is, a compressor 13a, a condenser (not shown), an electrical equipment box (not shown), etc. for condensing the high temperature and high pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 13a are provided.

The freezer compartment 11 and the refrigerating compartment 12 formed in the cabinet 10 are partitioned up and down by an intermediate partition, i.e., a freezer compartment 11 for storing frozen foods is provided on the upper side around the intermediate partition and the lower side thereof. The refrigerator is provided with a refrigerating chamber 12 for storing a large amount of refrigerated food.

And, behind the freezer compartment 11, an evaporator 14b connected to a freezing cycle to generate cold air, a blower fan 14c and an evaporator 14b for moving the generated cold air to the freezer compartment 11 or the refrigerating compartment 12. Adjacent to the cold air generating chamber 14 provided with the defrost heater 14e is provided.

At this time, the cold air generating chamber 14 is partitioned from the freezing chamber 11 by an evaporator cover 14a installed to cover the front of the evaporator 14b, and cold air is discharged into the freezing chamber 11 in the evaporator cover 14a. The freezing chamber cold air discharge hole 14d is formed so that it can be made.

In addition, a cold air duct 15 is provided at the rear of the refrigerating chamber 12 to supply cold air to the refrigerating chamber 12, and the cold air duct 15 is configured to receive cold air from the cold air generating chamber 14. On the front side, rear cold air discharge holes 15a are provided to discharge cold air into the refrigerating chamber 12.

In addition, the inside of the cold air duct 15 is provided with a damper (15b) that is operated to supply or block the cold air flowing into the freezer compartment 12 from the freezer compartment 11, it is possible to detect the temperature in the refrigerator compartment 12 The refrigerator compartment temperature sensor 21 is provided.

In addition, the refrigerator to which the refrigerator control method of the present invention having the above-described configuration is applied includes a control unit 30 for performing overall control, and on the input side of the control unit 30, an outside air temperature sensor 22 and a refrigerating chamber for sensing an outside air temperature. The refrigerating compartment temperature sensor 21 for detecting the inside temperature of the refrigerator 12, the freezing compartment temperature sensor 23 for detecting the inside temperature of the freezer compartment 11, and the like are electrically connected to each other.

In addition, as will be described later, a timer 40 for integrating the compressor 13a operation time and the total time that is the time after the power is input to the refrigerator is connected.

In addition, the control algorithm for controlling the refrigerator is stored in the memory 31 in the control unit 30, the control unit 30 by the control algorithm stored in the memory 31 in the compressor (13a), defrost heater (14e), The driving of the blower fan 14c and the damper 15b is controlled.

The compressor 13a, the defrost heater 14e, the blower fan 14c, the damper 15b, and the like are electrically connected to the output side of the controller 30, and the memory 31 in the controller 30 according to the input value. The output values of the compressor 13a, the defrost heater 14e, the blowing fan 14c, and the damper 15b are determined by the algorithm stored in the.

Here, the control unit 30 is a damper (15b) so that the temperature inside the refrigerator compartment 12 detected by the refrigerator compartment temperature sensor 21 of the refrigerator compartment 12 reaches the set temperature during the cooling operation for the refrigerator compartment 12. ) Is controlled to open or close the freezer compartment 11 side cold air is introduced into the refrigerating compartment 12 side or blocked.

2 and 3 are flowcharts illustrating a control method of a refrigerator according to the present invention. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the control method of the refrigerator according to the present invention, after the defrost mode during the operation of the refrigerator, prevents the deterioration of power consumption due to the rapid rise in the temperature in the refrigerator, and rapidly It is possible to achieve efficient and stable stability, and to change the operation cycle of the compressor to achieve the optimal cooling cycle in normal operation.

First, FIG. 2 illustrates a control method until entering a defrost mode among the control methods of the refrigerator according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 illustrates a control method after performing the defrost mode among the control methods of the refrigerator according to the present invention. To show.

Here, referring to FIG. 2, the control method until entering the defrost mode is determined. The controller determines whether the cumulative operating time of the compressor has exceeded 2 hours (S11), and the cumulative operating time of the compressor is 2 hours. If exceeded, the cumulative operation time of the compressor is 12 hours or more (logical AND), and it is determined whether or not the total cumulative time exceeds 72 hours (S12).

Here, the cumulative operating time of the compressor means a time in which only the driving time of the compressor is accumulated, and the total cumulative time means a time in which both the driving time and the stop time of the compressor are accumulated.

For example, suppose that the compressor runs for 15 minutes, stops for 2 hours, runs for 15 minutes, and stops for 2 hours from when the power is supplied to the refrigerator. The accumulated operation time of the compressor is 30 minutes, and the total accumulated time is 4 hours 30 minutes. Accumulated.

Then, if the cumulative operation time of the compressor is 12 hours and the total cumulative time exceeds 72 hours, defrost occurs in the evaporator due to the long time operation of the compressor, and thus the driving of the evaporator may not operate normally. In this case, the defrost mode must be entered.

Here, when entering the defrost mode, in order to prevent the temperature rises sharply by the drive of the defrost heater, enter the pre-cooling mode to drive the compressor and the blowing fan to prevent the temperature rise due to the defrost mode to the maximum ( S13).

That is, when entering the defrost mode, the temperature maintained at 0 degrees may be increased to about 2-3 degrees, and thus the temperature of the freezer compartment may be increased due to the rapid temperature rise, and thus, the pre-cooling mode is entered before entering the defrost mode. By dropping the temperature in advance to about -2 to -3 degrees in advance.

Then, the control unit enters the defrost mode to drive the defrost heater, turn off the compressor and the blowing fan, and performs the operation of melting the frost of the evaporator (S14).

On the other hand, even when the cumulative operation time of the compressor in step S12 does not exceed 12 hours or the total cumulative time (compressor operation time + compressor stop time) does not exceed 72 hours, frost occurs in the evaporator by various variables. Since a case may occur, the control unit in this case determines whether or not the cumulative operation time of the compressor exceeds 6 hours to enter the defrost mode for driving the defrost heater (S15).

Then, the control unit determines whether or not the compressor operation rate in the refrigeration cycle is 80% or more (S16), because if the compressor operating time is 80%, that is, the compressor of 6 hours during the total cumulative operating time of 7.5 hours Since the operation rate is 80% when operating, the compressor is running a lot over time, and even in this case, the evaporator may be frosted.

Therefore, the control unit in such a case should enter the defrost mode for quickly eliminating the defrost of the evaporator (S14).

Alternatively, the controller detects and determines a failure of the refrigerator temperature sensor, the outside temperature sensor, and the freezer temperature sensor in the controller (S17). Even when an error occurs in the input variable, the controller proceeds to the defrost mode (S14). In the case where the outside air temperature is 35 degrees or more, entry to the defrost mode is performed (S18 and S14).

The reason is that when the outside air temperature is about 35 degrees, the high temperature and high humidity of the characteristics of the country, the humidity in the outside air can cause the frost on the surface of the evaporator quickly, even in this case, enters the defrost mode immediately without pre-cooling do.

Alternatively, the control unit enters the pre-cooling mode because when the door of the refrigerator is opened, the user inserts food having a relatively higher temperature than the temperature of the refrigerating chamber or the compressor is driven by the outside temperature even if the user does not insert the food. Instead of entering the defrost mode, defrost control is performed to remove frost (S19, S14).

Here, when the door is opened, the control is performed with the difference between the reference temperature at which the compressor is started and the reference temperature at which the compressor is turned off as an initial value (S20).

As such, even if the compressor has been driven for a long time or the compressor has not been driven for a long time, given various requirements that can cause frost on the evaporator due to various external variables, the control unit enters the defrost mode.

FIG. 3 shows the operation cycle of the compressor so as to stabilize the temperature quickly by controlling the compressor and the blowing fan after the defrost mode of FIG. 2 is terminated, and to achieve an optimal cooling cycle while preventing a decrease in power consumption. Figure shows the process of changing the

As shown in FIG. 3, the control unit lowers the reference temperature at which the compressor is operated and the reference temperature at which the compressor is turned off, but sets the difference between the on / off temperature of the compressor (S31).

In other words, if the compressor is turned off at -2 degrees and the compressor is turned on at 2 degrees, the compressor is turned off at -4 degrees and the compressor is turned on at 0 degrees. Prevents the temperature from rising sharply.

For example, before the defrost mode is performed, the compressor is driven when the temperature inside the refrigerator exceeds 2 degrees, and when the temperature is about 2 degrees, the compressor is stopped. After the defrost mode is performed, the compressor is operated even at 0 degrees. It is to change the operating temperature of the compressor in anticipation of the temperature rise in the refrigerator.

Accordingly, since the driving temperature of the compressor is lowered in anticipation of the elevated temperature by the defrost heater, when the temperature is raised, the temperature can be returned to the normal temperature within a short time, and even if the temperature is raised, it can be offset by the powerful driving of the compressor. have.

Then, the control unit drives the compressor based on the reference temperature lowered to return to the normal temperature for about 2 hours (S32), the 2 hours is a time that can be changed according to the region and components.

In addition, the control unit gradually raises the on / off temperature of the compressor every two hours for 8 hours, but the temperature on / off difference of the compressor is the same (S33).

Here, each time and period is changeable, and if the temperature rises step by step for a certain time to return to the original compressor on / off reference temperature, all are included within the scope of the present invention.

For example, in step S30, since the control unit changes the compressor reference temperature from -2 ° C to 2 ° C to -4 ° C to 0 ° C, the control unit gradually raises the reference temperature of the compressor to its original position by increasing it by 0.5 degrees.

Therefore, the controller operates the compressor at -3.5 ° C to 0.5 ° C after 2 hours, the compressor operates at -3 ° C to 1 ° C at 4 hours, and at -2.5 ° C to 1.5 ° C at 6 hours. The compressor is operated, and at 8 hours, the compressor is operated at -2 ° C to 2 ° C, thereby raising the lowered reference temperature step by step to return to the original state.

When the compressor returns to its original state and the compressor is normally driven, the controller changes the on / off temperature difference of the compressor (S34).

For example, the starting efficiency is increased by increasing the width that the compressor can drive, such as -2.4 ° C to 2.4 ° C, in the state returned to -2 ° C to 2 ° C.

Then, when the door is open or an input is made to the function / temperature control button (S35), the compressor on / off temperature difference is reset to the initial value (S36), because when the door is opened, other food is Since the temperature inside the air is increased or the temperature inside the air rises due to the outside air, the compressor is turned on the basis of the initial reference temperature.

That is, when another event occurs, the control returns to the control as usual from the control after the defrost mode.

If the door is not opened at step S35 or no input of the temperature control button occurs, the process returns to step S12.

On the other hand, after performing the step S36, the control unit continuously drives the control method until the power is turned off (S37).

5 is a graph illustrating a control method of a refrigerator according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 5, when the time point t1 at which the defrost heater is turned off, that is, when the defrost mode is finished, the internal temperature of the compressor is expected to be increased by the temperature of the defrost heater, and the driving temperature of the compressor and the stop temperature of the compressor are adjusted. Lower (t1-t2).

Then, the temperature was gradually lowered step by step at a certain time period, the temperature difference is the same step by step linearly raise the reference temperature.

Finally, when the compressor drive temperature and the compressor stop temperature are returned to their original state, if an event such as an open door or an input is generated by another input button does not occur, the reference temperature is increased to improve the starting efficiency of the compressor. Widening the width (d-> d ') increases the efficiency.

In the above described exemplary embodiments of the present invention by way of example, the scope of the present invention is not limited only to this specific embodiment, and those skilled in the art within the scope of the claims of the present invention Appropriate changes can be made.

1 is a cross-sectional view and a block diagram schematically showing a refrigerator to which a control method of a refrigerator according to the present invention is applied.

Figure 2 is a flow chart until the defrost mode of the control method of the refrigerator according to the present invention.

Figure 3 is a flow chart after the defrost mode of the control method of the refrigerator according to the present invention.

Figure 4 is a graph showing the on / off temperature change of the compressor in the control method of the refrigerator according to the present invention.

<Brief description of reference numerals for the main parts of the drawings>

13a: compressor 14c: blower fan

14e: defrost heater 22: outside temperature sensor

30: control unit

Claims (11)

In a control method of a refrigerator comprising a compressor, an evaporator installed in a cooling chamber of a freezer compartment, a defrost heater installed in the evaporator, and an outside air temperature sensor, If the cumulative operation time (T1) of the compressor is greater than or equal to the first reference time and the total cumulative time (T2) is greater than or equal to the second reference time, the compressor and the blower fan may be driven to perform a cooling operation to perform a cooling operation of the freezer compartment. First step; A second step of stopping the compressor and the blower fan and driving the defrost heater to perform a defrost mode; A third step of driving the compressor by lowering the on / off reference temperature of the compressor for a predetermined time after the defrost mode is finished; A fourth step of increasing the on / off reference temperature of the compressor step by step to return to the reference temperature, and then increasing the on / off reference temperature difference than a reference set value; A fifth step of resetting to the reference temperature when an event such as a door opening of the refrigerator or an input of an input button occurs Refrigerator control method comprising a. The method according to claim 1, The first reference time of the first step is 12 hours, the second reference time is a refrigerator control method, characterized in that 72 hours. The method according to claim 1, The pre-cooling mode of the first step is within 25 minutes. The method according to claim 1, In the first step, the cumulative operating time (T1) of the compressor is less than the first reference time or the total cumulative time (T2) is less than the second reference time, or the cumulative operating time (T1) of the compressor is less than the first reference time And a first step of determining whether the cumulative operating time T1 of the compressor exceeds a third reference time when the total cumulative time T2 is less than a second reference time. A second step of determining whether an operation rate of the compressor in the refrigerating cycle exceeds 80% when the cumulative operation time T1 of the compressor exceeds a third reference time; A third step of determining whether an error occurs in various input variables including the outside temperature sensor when the second step is less than 80%; A fourth step of determining whether the outside temperature is 35 degrees or more when an error does not occur in the third step; A fifth step of determining whether the door is opened when the outside temperature is less than 35 degrees; When the predetermined time of the first process is exceeded or when 80% of the second process is exceeded, or when an error of the third process occurs, or more than 35 degrees of the fourth process, or when the door of the fifth process is opened. In case the refrigerator control method, characterized in that entering the defrost mode of the second process. The method according to claim 4, And the third reference time is six hours. The method according to claim 4, When the door is opened in the fifth process, the on / off temperature difference of the compressor is reset to an initial value or an initial value. The method according to claim 1, The control method of the refrigerator, characterized in that the falling of the reference temperature of the third step is less than 2 ℃. The method according to claim 1, The control method of the refrigerator, characterized in that the predetermined time of the third step is less than 2 hours. The method according to claim 1, The control method of the refrigerator, characterized in that the step-wise increase of the reference temperature of the fourth step is less than 0.5 ℃. The method according to claim 1, The control method of the refrigerator, characterized in that the increase of the on / off reference temperature width of the fourth step is less than 0.4 ℃ each. The method according to claim 1, And if the event of the fifth step does not occur, returning to the first step.

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