Lg Electronics Inc.

Heayoun Sul

Minkyu Oh

Hyoungkeun Lim

Jeehoon Choi

Seokhyun Kim

Jaehoon Shin

Yongjoo Park

Yanggyu Kim

Seongjae Kim

Seunghwan Oh

Dongseok Kim

Changho Seo

Lim Hyoungkeun

Choi Jeehoon

A refrigerator include: an inner case having a storage chamber; a thermoelectric module including a thermoelectric element and a cooling sink; a fan configured to circulate air, to the storage chamber; a fan cover configured to cover the fan and having an upper discharge hole, a lower discharge hole, and an inner suction hole formed between the upper discharge hole and the lower discharge hole; a first receiving member disposed in the storage chamber; and a second receiving member disposed over the first receiving member to be spaced apart from the first receiving member. At least a portion of each of the inner suction hole and the lower discharge hole faces a portion between the first receiving member and the second receiving member, and at least a portion of the upper discharge hole faces a portion between a top surface of the storage chamber and the second receiving member.

Refrigerator

A refrigerator include: an inner case having a storage chamber; a thermoelectric module including a thermoelectric element and a cooling sink; a fan configured to circulate air to the storage chamber; a fan cover configured to cover the fan and having an upper discharge hole, a lower discharge hole, and an inner suction hole formed between the upper discharge hole and the lower discharge hole; a first receiving member disposed in the storage chamber; and a second receiving member disposed over the first receiving member to be spaced apart from the first receiving member. At least a portion of each of the inner suction hole and the lower discharge hole faces a portion between the first receiving member and the second receiving member, and at least a portion of the upper discharge hole faces a portion between a top surface of the storage chamber and the second receiving member.

A refrigerator including an inner case having a storage chamber defined therein; a thermoelectric module configured to cool the storage chamber, wherein the thermoelectric module includes a thermoelectric element and a heat sink; a heat-dissipation fan assembly provided adjacent to the heat sink; a heat-dissipation cover spaced apart from the inner case, wherein the heat-dissipation cover has at least one outer intake hole defined therein and wherein the intake hole faces the heat-dissipation fan assembly; and a gasket configured to block a gap between the heat-dissipation cover and the heat-dissipation fan assembly.

Thermoelectric refrigerator

A refrigerator includes a cabinet, a thermoelectric element module, a support disposed at a lower surface of the cabinet, and a heat dissipation cover coupled to a rear side of the cabinet. The thermoelectric element module includes a thermoelectric element including a heat absorption portion and a heat dissipation portion, a first heat sink contacting the heat absorption portion, a first fan facing the first heat sink, a second heat sink contacting the heat dissipation portion, a second fan exposed to an outside of the heat dissipation cover, and an insulating member between the first heat sink and the second heat sink. The heat dissipation cover is configured to guide air from the second fan in a vertical direction, and the support defines an air passage between the lower surface and a floor to allow air to be discharged to a front side through a lower side of the cabinet.

A refrigerator may include a temperature sensor, a thermoelectric device module having a thermoelectric device, and at least one fan and configured to cool a storage compartment, and a controller that controls the output power of the thermoelectric device based on the temperature of the storage compartment, a set temperature, and the outside temperature. The output power of the thermoelectric device may be determined based on whether the temperature of the storage compartment is within a first temperature region including the set temperature, a second temperature region, or a third temperature region. In the first and second temperature regions, the thermoelectric device may operate at different output power and which gradually increases as the outside temperature increases. In the third temperature region, the thermoelectric device may operate at a third output power which exceeds the first output power and is greater than or equal to the second output power.

A refrigerator includes a first freezing cycle in which a first refrigerant circulates and having a first compressor, a first condenser, at least one first expansion mechanism, and at least one first evaporator, the first freezing cycle configured to cool freezing and refrigerating compartments, a freezing compartment sensor, a refrigerating compartment sensor, a second freezing cycle in which a second mixed refrigerant having a lower evaporation temperature than the first refrigerant circulates and having a second compressor, a second condenser, a second expansion mechanism, and a second evaporator, the second freezing cycle configured to cool a deep freezing compartment, a deep freezing compartment sensor, and a controller configured to operate the first freezing cycle and the second freezing cycle independently or simultaneously, thereby more efficiently cooling the freezing and refrigerating compartments and the deep freezing compartment.

Refrigerator and method of operating the same

A refrigerator includes a thermoelectric element module, and a defrosting temperature sensor, and a controller configured to control operation of the thermoelectric element module. The thermoelectric element module includes a thermoelectric element including a heat absorption portion and a heat dissipation portion, a first heat sink in contact with the heat absorption portion, a first fan facing the first heat sink, a second heat sink in contact with the heat dissipation portion, and a second fan facing the second heat sink. The controller is configured to initiate a natural defrosting operation for removing frost on the thermoelectric element module at every preset period, and terminate the natural defrosting operation based on a temperature measured by the defrosting temperature sensor corresponding to a reference temperature. The controller is configured to control operation of the thermoelectric element and rotation of the first and second fans in the natural defrosting operation.

A refrigerator includes a cabinet in which a storage space is formed; a main evaporator which is installed at one side of an inner portion of the storage space to cool the storage space; a case which is installed on the other side the inner portion of the storage space and defines a deep-freezing storage chamber; a drawer which is accommodated in the case so as to be retractable and withdrawable and in which food is stored; and a rapid cooling module which is provided on a rear side of the inner portion of the case and rapidly cools the deep-freezing storage chamber, in which the rapid cooling module may includes an auxiliary evaporator; and a thermoelectric device which is coupled to the auxiliary evaporator and cools the deep-freezing storage chamber through heat exchange by heat conduction.

A refrigerator includes: a main body having a storage chamber; a door for opening and closing the storage chamber; a thermoelectric module for cooling the storage chamber; an outside temperature sensor for detecting an outside temperature; a storage chamber temperature sensor for detecting the storage chamber temperature; and a control unit for applying a voltage within a range between the maximum voltage and the minimum voltage to the thermoelectric module. The control unit applies the set voltage, not the maximum voltage, to the thermoelectric module when the outside temperature is the uppermost outside temperature range among the plurality of outside temperature ranges and thus the temperature of the control is lowered and power consumption is reduced.

Refrigerator with thermoelectric module

A refrigerator may have an ultra-low temperature cooling module for cooling an ultra-low temperature compartment that includes a thermoelectric element having a heating surface and a heat absorption surface disposed to oppose the heating surface and a heat conduction unit evaporation part whose one side is in contact with the heating surface of the thermoelectric element and the other side is connected to a refrigerant pipe of an evaporator to transmit heat emitted from the heating surface of the thermoelectric element to the refrigerant. An amount of heat exchange between a central portion of the heating surface having a relatively high temperature and a refrigerant of the heat conduction unit evaporation part may be greater than an amount of heat exchange between a peripheral portion of the heating surface surrounding the central portion and the refrigerant.

A refrigerator includes: a control unit for controlling a thermoelectric module, a cooling fan, and a heat-radiation fan, in which when the outside temperature exceeds the set temperature, the control unit rotates each of the cooling fan and the heat-radiation fan at a high-speed, in which, when the outside temperature is equal to or lower than the set temperature and the storage chamber temperature is in the upper limit range, the control unit rotates each of the cooling fan and the heat-radiation fan at a medium-speed lower than a high-speed, and in which, when the outside temperature is equal to or lower than the set temperature and the storage chamber temperature is lower than the upper limit range, the control unit rotates each of the cooling fan and the heat-radiation fan at a low-speed lower than a medium-speed.

Disclosed are a refrigerator and a control method thereof. The refrigerator according to one aspect includes a main body having a storage chamber; a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant; a condenser configured to condense the refrigerant compressed by the compressor; an evaporation expander configured to depressurize the refrigerant condensed by the condenser; a first evaporator configured to evaporate the refrigerant depressurized by the evaporation expander and thus to cool the storage chamber; a condensing expander installed between the condenser and the evaporation expander and configured to depressurize the refrigerant condensed by the condenser; and a subsidiary condenser installed between the condensing expander and the evaporation expander and configured to condense the refrigerant depressurized by the condensing expander.

Refrigerator and control method thereof

A refrigerator may include a sensor configured to measure temperature, a thermoelectric device module having at least one fan and configured to cool the storage compartment; and a controller that controls a rotation speed of the fan. The rotation speed of the fan may be determined based on at least one of whether a storage compartment temperature condition measured by the sensor exists or whether an initial power input condition exists. The thermoelectric device module may be controlled differently in a first temperature region, in a second temperature region, and in a third temperature region of the storage compartment. When an initial power condition exist such that power is initially supplied to the refrigerator, the fan is controlled to spin at a rotation speed that exceeds a rotation speed corresponding to the third temperature region until a preset temperature within the second temperature region is reached.

A thermoelectric module that has a thermoelectric element, an axial flow fan, and a heat sink and that is installed at a rear wall of the storage chamber to cool the storage chamber. The heat sink has a base configured to come in surface contact with the thermoelectric element, fins protruding from the base toward the axial flow fan and spaced apart from each other, and heat pipes having base passing portions passing through the base and fin passing portions passing through the fins and configured to transfer heat from the base to the fins. Each of the fins includes a first part arranged opposite to the hub and a second part disposed at one of both sides of the first part to face the vanes and protruding further from the base toward the axial flow fan than the first part.

Growing community of inventors

Seoul, South Korea

Heayoun Sul