Refrigerator

Abstract

There is provided a refrigerator. The refrigerator includes a compressor for compressing a refrigerant, a condenser for heat-exchanging the compressed refrigerant with ambient air, an expansion member for expanding the heat-exchanged refrigerant, a condensing pipe interconnecting the condenser and the expansion member, a vaporizer for heat-exchanging the expanded refrigerant with a cooling air in a freezing or cooling chamber, and a suction pipe interconnecting the vaporizer and the compressor and associated with the condensing pipe to allow a heat exchange between the suction pipe and the condensing pipe.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and more particularly, to a refrigerator having an improved cooling cycle that can reduce the power consumption and improve a coefficient of performance (COP) by efficiently using thermal energy wasted during a refrigerant is introduced into an expansion valve through a condenser. [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art [0004] A refrigerator is an electrical appliance for cooling or freezing food to preserve the food. [0005] Generally, the refrigerator can be classified into a top mount refrigerator in which a freezing chamber and a chilling chamber are partitioned up and down, a bottom freezer refrigerator in which a freezing chamber and a cooling chamber are partitioned down and up, a side-by-side refrigerator in which a freezing chamber and a cooling chamber are partitioned left and right. [0006] Especially, the side-by-side refrigerator has a freezing and cooling...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010] An object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator having an improved cooling cycle that can reduce the power consumption and improve a coefficient of performance (COP) by efficiently using thermal energy wasted during a refrigerant is introduced into an expansion valve through a condenser.

[0016] According to the present invention, the waste heat discharged from the refrigerant passed through the condenser is efficiently used during the compression process, thereby reducing the compressing work and increasing the COP.

[0017] Furthermore, since the compressing work is reduced, the electric power consumption for driving the compressor can be reduced.

[0018] In addition, since the pipe interconnecting the condenser and the capillary and the suction pipe is bonded in a helix shape, the heat exchange area increases to improve the space efficiency of the machine room, thereby reducing the overall volume of the refrigerator.

Problems solved by technology

However, in the cooling cycle, the heat generated from the refrigerant flowing from the condenser toward the capillary is wasted to the ambient air.

That is, the heat discharged during the refrigerant passed through the condenser flows toward the capillary cannot be efficiently used, thereby generating a cyclic minor loss.

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