Method for controlling a refrigeration appliance, and refrigeration appliance

Abstract

A refrigeration appliance (10) which has a compressor (19), a storage compartment (12) with storage shelves (20, 21, 22), a door (16) for closing the storage compartment (12), and a forced-air ventilated evaporator (42) with a fan (44) for circulating air between the evaporator (42) and the storage compartment (12) is operated by way of a method having the method steps a) operating (102) the refrigeration appliance (10), with an intermittently operating compressor with compressor running times and compressor downtimes; b) during a compressor running time, operating (104) the fan (44) at a first fan rotational speed (nL1); c) observing (106) the refrigeration appliance (10) for opening of a door, and c) if a door is opened during a compressor running time, operating (112) the fan (44) at a second fan rotational speed; if a door is opened during a compressor downtime, operating (114) the fan (44) at a third fan rotational speed.

Description

[0001] Method for controlling a refrigeration device and refrigeration device

[0002] The present invention relates to a household refrigeration appliance with a freezer compartment and a method for controlling a household refrigeration appliance with a freezer compartment, wherein the household refrigeration appliance has a forced-air evaporator associated with the freezer compartment. The household refrigeration appliance has a compressor, a storage compartment with storage trays, a door for closing the storage compartment, and a forced-air evaporator with a fan for circulating air between the evaporator and the storage compartment.

[0003] US 5,847,343 A describes, as prior art, a refrigerator-freezer combination household refrigeration appliance in which a freezer compartment fan is stopped when a freezer compartment door is opened.

[0004] JP 2003 083 661 A discloses a refrigeration appliance having a freezer compartment with a freezer compartment door and an ice maker with an ice maker door, wherein a fan runs for a predetermined time when the ice maker door is opened.

[0005] KR 1998 005 4644 A proposes that a fan be activated when a freezer compartment door is opened to create an air curtain across the freezer compartment door. The freezer compartment has no storage compartments or other flaps between the compartment and the freezer compartment door.

[0006] In a household refrigeration appliance with a storage compartment with storage trays and a forced-air evaporator, condensation may occur on the ceiling of the storage compartment in the front area of ​​the topmost storage tray when the door is opened. In high humidity conditions, this can lead to the formation of drops, which may be noticed and perceived as annoying by the user.

[0007] It is the object underlying the invention to provide an improved household refrigeration appliance with a storage compartment with bearing shells and a forced-cooled condenser, which provides an improvement with regard to condensation.

[0008] The object of the invention is achieved by means of objects having the features according to the independent claims. The refinements are the subject of the dependent claims, and advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the figures and the description.

[0009] The household refrigeration appliance according to the invention comprises a compressor, a storage compartment with a rear wall and at least one storage tray, a door for closing the storage compartment, a forced-air evaporator with a fan for circulating air between the evaporator and the storage compartment, and a controller for operating a household refrigeration appliance. The controller operates in such a way that the fan is operated when the door of the storage compartment containing the storage trays is opened. This makes it possible to reduce condensation in the area of ​​the storage trays that occurs during door opening, particularly in the front area of ​​the ceiling of the storage compartment above the uppermost storage tray.

[0010] The household refrigeration appliance can be a freezer with a freezer compartment or a combination refrigeration appliance with a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment, with the freezer compartment being equipped with drawers.

[0011] A cold air duct is located in the rear wall of the storage compartment, which is enclosed by an air duct cover. The air duct cover has air inlet openings for supplying cold air into the storage compartment. The rear wall contains the fan and forms an air circulation path, separating the intake side of the fan with the evaporator from the discharge side of the fan with the cold air duct.

[0012] A return air duct with a storage compartment-side outlet opening in the rear wall can be formed in the rear wall or between the rear wall and an inner container which encloses the storage compartment and is adjacent to an insulation layer.

[0013] According to one embodiment of the invention, the rear wall has a first air inlet opening into the storage compartment, wherein the first air inlet opening is arranged at a height between an upper edge of an uppermost storage shell and a ceiling of the storage compartment. The air supply into the storage compartment through this air inlet opening promotes a flow of cold air under the ceiling of the storage compartment from an air distribution duct in a rear wall of the storage compartment to a front side of the uppermost storage shell. Part of the air conveyed by the fan can flow through a gap between an upper edge of the front side of the uppermost storage shell and the ceiling of the storage compartment toward the door opening, counteracting the ingress of air from the direction of the open door.

[0014] Another embodiment provides that the household refrigeration appliance has a shelf on which a storage tray is mounted, and the rear wall has a second air inlet opening into the storage compartment, wherein the second air inlet opening is arranged at a height directly above and / or directly below the shelf. This also prevents or at least reduces condensation on the top or bottom of the shelf when the door is opened.

[0015] Advantageously, an air duct is arranged beneath the base of the storage tray. The storage tray can have lateral skids beneath the base that define the air duct at the sides. The air duct beneath the base of the storage tray allows cooling of the base from below, which is particularly advantageous for stored goods lying on the floor. The design of skids facilitates the retraction of the storage tray, as a large portion of the skids remains in contact with the floor even when the storage tray is extended. The skids can be designed as an extension of the side walls beneath the base of the storage tray, with the advantage of a smooth outer side surface.

[0016] According to a further embodiment of the invention, the rear wall has an outlet opening, wherein the outlet opening is arranged at a height between a floor of the storage compartment and a floor of a lowermost storage shell. The air is supplied from the storage compartment through the outlet opening into an air duct in the rear wall of the storage compartment, which delivers the air to the evaporator. The arrangement of the outlet opening can interact with the air duct and the floor of the lowermost storage shell to create a favorable flow path.

[0017] During a door opening, air flows from the front to the back below the lowest storage compartment due to the operation of the fan. In this area of ​​the air duct below the bottom of the lowest storage compartment, condensation is accepted during the door opening. Such condensation then takes place on surfaces that do not or only slightly disturb the user of the refrigeration appliance. The method according to the invention for operating a household refrigeration appliance, which has a compressor, a storage compartment with storage compartments, a door for closing the storage compartment, and a forced-ventilation evaporator with a fan for circulating air between the evaporator and the storage compartment, has the following method steps:

[0018] - Operating the refrigeration unit with an intermittently operating compressor with compressor running times and compressor down times;

[0019] - operating the fan at a first fan speed during a compressor runtime;

[0020] - Watch the refrigeration appliance for a door opening and

[0021] - when the door is opened during a compressor runtime, the fan operates at a second fan speed;

[0022] - When the door is opened during a compressor idle time, the fan operates at a third fan speed. Operating the fan while the door is opened allows air to flow from the bearing shell area toward the door. This airflow occurs through gaps around the front of the bearing shells and prevents air from entering through these gaps from the direction of the door. This makes it possible to avoid or minimize condensation that occurs during the door opening, particularly in the front area of ​​the ceiling above the topmost bearing shell.

[0023] According to one embodiment of the invention, the second fan speed and the third fan speed are lower than the first fan speed. This prevents condensation and, at the same time, prevents an unnecessarily large amount of moisture from entering the evaporator during door opening.

[0024] Advantageously, when a door is opened during a compressor runtime, the fan is operated at the second fan speed with a first time delay and / or when a compressor is idle, it is operated at the third fan speed with a second time delay. When a door is opened during a compressor runtime, the fan initially continues to run at the first fan speed before being operated at the second fan speed after the first time delay. When a door is opened, the warm and humid outside air has not yet reached the surfaces at risk of condensation. The second and third fan speeds can therefore be switched on with a delay. The second time delay can be the same as or different from the first time delay. According to another embodiment of the invention, when a door is opened, the fan is operated with a run-on time.The run-on time takes into account that after the door is closed, moist and warm air is trapped in the area between the door and the front of the bearing shells, and serves to discharge this air directly into the evaporator.

[0025] According to another embodiment of the invention, air conveyed by the fan is blown into the storage compartment at a height between an upper edge of a topmost storage shell and a ceiling of the storage compartment. This enables advantageous air circulation without deflection between the cold air duct and the front of the topmost storage shell.

[0026] The household refrigeration appliance may have a shelf on which a storage tray is mounted, and the air conveyed by the fan can be blown into the storage compartment at a height directly above and / or directly below the shelf. This can also reduce condensation in the front area of ​​the shelves.

[0027] Preferably, there is a narrow gap between the upper edge of a topmost storage tray and the ceiling of the storage compartment, and the second fan speed and the third fan speed are selected such that air flows through the gap towards the door at all prescribed operating points. The prescribed operating points are defined for the award of an energy label for the refrigeration appliance. This label specifies, depending on the type of storage compartment, which temperatures must be achieved in the storage compartment at which specific ambient temperatures. In this way, it is possible to coordinate which second and third fan speeds are selected for which ambient temperatures. This prevents condensation at different ambient temperatures and, at the same time, prevents an unnecessarily large amount of moisture from entering the evaporator when the door is opened.

[0028] Advantageously, the air conveyed by the fan can be drawn in at a height between a floor of the storage compartment and a floor of the lowest storage tray. This allows for better air circulation during door opening. An air duct between the floor of the storage compartment and the floor of the lowest storage tray interacts with an air outlet opening in the rear wall at the same height, creating a flow path with low air resistance. Embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings and described in more detail below.

[0029] They show:

[0030] Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a household refrigerating appliance according to the invention;

[0031] Fig. 2 is a flow chart of a method according to the invention; and

[0032] Fig. 3 is a diagram of a time course of a fan speed according to the invention.

[0033] Fig. 1 shows a refrigerator representative of a household refrigeration appliance 10 with a storage compartment 12 and a housing 14, a door 16, and a machine compartment 18 with a compressor 19. The storage compartment 12 is accessible via the door 16 and has a lower storage tray 20, middle storage trays 21, and an upper storage tray 22. The lower storage tray 20 rests on a floor 24 of the storage compartment, and the middle storage trays 21 and the upper storage tray 22 rest on shelves 26, 27, 28. The housing 14 has insulated walls 30 that enclose an interior space 32.

[0034] The interior space 32 contains the storage compartment 12, an evaporator chamber 34, and a cold air duct 36. A rear wall 38 of the storage compartment 14 forms a separation between the storage compartment 14 and the cold air duct 36 on an inner side of the rear wall 38 and the evaporator chamber 34 on an outer side of the rear wall 38. An air duct cover 40 forms a separation between the storage compartment 14 and the cold air duct 36.

[0035] The evaporator chamber 34 contains an evaporator 42. A fan 44 is located above the evaporator 42 in the rear wall 38. The fan 44 conveys air from the evaporator chamber 34 into the cold air duct 36. An intake duct 45 extends between an intake opening 47 at the lower end of the rear wall 38 and the evaporator 42.

[0036] The air duct cover 40 contains air inlet openings 46, 48, 50, 52 and 54. The air inlet opening 46 is arranged at the lower end of the air duct cover 40, the air outlet opening 14 is arranged at the lower end of the air duct cover 40, and the air inlet openings 48, 50, 52 are arranged in between, namely at the level of the shelves 27, 28. The air inlet openings 48, 50 are arranged at a height directly below and above the shelf 27, while the air inlet opening 52 is arranged both directly below and directly above the shelf 28.

[0037] The bearing shells 20, 21, 22 have a base 55, 56, side walls 58, 60, shell rear walls 62, 64, and front walls 66, 68. The front walls 66, 68 are designed at their upper end as a recessed grip with an upper edge 70. The side walls 58, 60 of the bearing shells are designed below the bases 55, 56 as runners 72 on which the bearing shells rest.

[0038] Under each of the bearing shells 20, 21, 22 there is an air duct 73 which is formed laterally by the runners 72, above by the floors 55, 56, and below by the respective base, which for the bearing shells 20 is the floor 24 of the storage chamber 12, and for the bearing shells 21, 22 the storage floors 26, 27, 28.

[0039] The air circulation is such that, with the door 16 closed and the fan 44 switched on, the cold air from the evaporator 42 flows through the air inlet openings 46, 48, 50, 52 and 54 into the storage chamber 12, specifically below and above the shelves 26, 27, 28 and below a ceiling 76 of the storage chamber 12. The air flows above the shelves 26, 27, 28 through the air ducts 73 from rear to front and into the air duct 73 of the storage shells 20 from front to rear to the intake opening 47.

[0040] The uppermost air inlet opening 54 is arranged at a height between an upper edge (57) of the shell rear wall 64 of the uppermost bearing shell 22 and the ceiling 76 of the storage chamber 12.

[0041] When the door is opened, there is a risk of condensation in the front area 78 of the ceiling 76 of the storage compartment 12. This is prevented by a control system 80 of the household refrigeration appliance 10 by operating the fan 44 while the door 16 of the storage compartment 12 with the storage trays 20, 21, 22 is opened. Likewise, the described air flow prevents condensation in the front area of ​​the shelves 26, 20, 28. The air flows through gaps 82 between the upper edges 70 of the storage trays 20, 21 and the storage shelves 26, 27, 28 above them, and through gap 84 between the upper edge 70 of the uppermost storage tray 22 and the ceiling 76 of the storage compartment 12.

[0042] The household refrigeration appliance 10 is shown as a refrigeration appliance with a storage compartment with storage trays, but Fig. 1 can also be regarded as the lower part of a combination refrigeration appliance with a refrigerator compartment at the top and a freezer compartment at the bottom with drawers.

[0043] Fig. 2 describes the method according to the invention for operating a household refrigeration appliance using flow chart 100 with reference to the household refrigeration appliance 10 from Fig. 1.

[0044] The method begins with the process step of operating 102 the refrigeration appliance 10 with the door 16 closed and the compressor operating intermittently, with compressor runtimes and compressor idle times. During a compressor runtime, the fan 44 is operated 104 at a first fan speed. During normal operation, the refrigeration appliance is monitored 106 for a door opening.

[0045] If no door opening is detected, the process branches to loop 108 and normal intermittent operation continues. When a door opens, the process branches to branch 110. If the door opens while the compressor is running, the fan is operated 112 at a second fan speed. If the door opens while the compressor is idle, the fan is operated 114 at a third fan speed. Monitoring 106 for a door opening then continues via branch 116. Here, it is now detected that the door is closed again. The process then returns to the intermittent operation of loop 108.

[0046] The operation of the fan 44 while the door is opened enables an air flow from the area of ​​the bearing shells 20, 21, 22 towards the door. This air flow occurs through gaps 82, 84 around the front sides of the bearing shells 20, 21, 22 and counteracts the penetration of air from the direction of the door 16 through these gaps. This makes it possible to avoid or minimize condensation 116 that occurs during the door opening, in particular in the front area of ​​the ceiling above the uppermost bearing shell. According to one embodiment of the method, when the door is opened during a compressor running time, the fan is operated at the second fan speed with a first time delay and / or during a compressor idle time at the third fan speed with a second time delay.During a compressor runtime, when a door is opened, the fan initially continues to run at the first fan speed before switching to the second fan speed after the first time delay. At the beginning of a door opening, the warm and humid outside air has not yet reached the surfaces at risk of condensation. Therefore, the second and third fan speeds can be switched on with a delay.

[0047] According to another embodiment, the fan is operated with a run-on time when the door is opened. After the closing of the door 16 has been detected via branch 116 in 106, the run-on time can be taken into account in loop 108. The run-on time takes into account that, after the door is closed, moist and warm air is trapped in the area between the door and the front of the bearing shells, and serves to discharge this air directly into the evaporator.

[0048] Fig. 3 shows diagram 120 with the temporal progression of a fan speed when a door is opened during a compressor run with a time delay and overrun. At time t1, compressor 19 is switched on and operated at speed nV, curve 122. Simultaneously, fan 44 is switched on and operated at the first fan speed nL1, curve 124. At time t2, a door opening T2 is detected; curve 126 indicates the door opening. At time t3, with a time delay compared to time t2, fan 44 is operated at the second fan speed nL2. At time t4, the end of the door opening is detected, and a overrun time begins, ending at time t5, at which time the fan speed is increased again to the first fan speed nL1. This is maintained until the compressor is switched off again at time t8. LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0049] 10 household refrigeration appliances

[0050] 12 storage compartments

[0051] 14 housings

[0052] 16 Door

[0053] 18 Engine room

[0054] 20, 21, 22 bearing shells

[0055] 24 Floor

[0056] 26, 27, 28 Storage shelf

[0057] 30 walls

[0058] 32 Interior

[0059] 34 Evaporator chamber

[0060] 36 cold air duct

[0061] 38 Rear wall

[0062] 40 Air duct cover

[0063] 42 evaporators

[0064] 44 fans

[0065] 46, 48, 50, 52, 54 Air intake opening

[0066] 55, 56 floor

[0067] 57 rand

[0068] 58, 60 side wall

[0069] 62, 64 shell back wall

[0070] 66, 68 front wall

[0071] 70 edge

[0072] 72 runners

[0073] 73 Air duct

[0074] 75 Sub-loop compressor switched on

[0075] 76 ceiling

[0076] 78 front area

[0077] 80 Control

[0078] 82, 84 gap

[0079] 100 Flowchart

[0080] 102 Operate 104 Operate

[0081] 106 Observe

[0082] 108 Loop

[0083] 110 Branch 112 Operate

[0084] 114 Operate

[0085] 116 branch

[0086] 120 Diagram

[0087] 122, 124, 126 Curve t> Time

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS 1. A method for operating a household refrigeration appliance (10) having a compressor (19), a storage compartment (12) with bearing shells (20, 21, 22), a door (16) for closing the storage compartment (12), and a forced-ventilation evaporator (42) with a fan (44) for circulating air between the evaporator (42) and the storage compartment (12), comprising the method steps of a) operating (102) the household refrigeration appliance (10) with an intermittently operating compressor with compressor running times and compressor idle times; b) operating (104) the fan (44) at a first fan speed (nL1) during a compressor running time; c) observing (106) the household refrigeration appliance (10) for a door opening, and d) operating (112) the fan (44) at a second fan speed when the door is opened during a compressor running time; when the door is opened during a compressor idle time, operation (114) of the fan (44) at a third fan speed.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the second fan speed and the third fan speed are lower than the first fan speed.

3. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that when the door is opened during a compressor running time, the fan (44) is operated at the second fan speed with a first time delay, and / or when the door is opened during a compressor idle time, the fan (44) is operated at the third fan speed with a second time delay.

4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that when the door is closed, the fan (44) is operated with a follow-up time.

5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that air conveyed by the fan is blown into the storage compartment (12) at a height between an upper edge (57) of an uppermost storage shell (22) and a ceiling (76) of the storage compartment (12).

6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the household refrigeration appliance (10) has a storage base (26, 27, 28) on which a bearing shell (21, 22) is mounted is characterized in that air conveyed by the fan (44) is blown into the storage compartment (12) at a height directly above and / or directly below the storage shelf (26, 27, 28).

7. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a narrow gap (68) is present between an upper edge (70) of an uppermost bearing shell (22) and the ceiling (76) of the storage compartment (12), and the second fan speed and the third fan speed are selected such that at all prescribed operating points air flows through the gap (68) in the direction of the door (16).

8. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the air conveyed by the fan (44) is sucked out of the storage compartment (12) at a height between a bottom (24) of the storage compartment and a bottom (55) of the lowest storage shell (20).

9. A household refrigeration appliance comprising a compressor (19), a storage compartment (12) with a rear wall (38) and at least one storage shell (20, 21, 22), a door (16) for closing the storage compartment (12), and a forced-ventilation evaporator (42) with a fan (44) for circulating air between the evaporator (42) and the storage compartment (12), characterized in that the household refrigeration appliance (10) comprises a controller (80) for operating the household refrigeration appliance according to a method according to one of claims 1 to 8.

10. Household refrigeration appliance according to claim 9, characterized in that the rear wall (38) has a first air inlet opening (54) into the storage compartment (12), wherein the first air inlet opening (54) is arranged at a height between an upper edge (57) of an uppermost storage shell (22) and a ceiling (76) of the storage compartment (12).

11. Household refrigeration appliance according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the household refrigeration appliance (10) has a storage shelf (27, 28) on which a storage tray (21) is mounted, and the rear wall (38) has a second air inlet opening (50, 52) into the storage compartment (12), wherein the second air inlet opening (50, 52) is arranged at a height directly above and / or directly below the storage shelf (27, 28).

12. Household refrigerating appliance according to claim 9, 10 or 11, characterized in that an air duct (73) is arranged under a base (55, 56) of the bearing shell.

13. Household refrigeration appliance according to claim 12, characterized in that a bearing shell (20, 21, 22) under a base (55, 56) has lateral runners (72) which laterally delimit the air duct (73).

14. Household refrigerating appliance according to one of claims 9 to 13, characterized in that the rear wall (38) has an outlet opening, wherein the outlet opening is in a Height between a bottom of the storage compartment and a bottom of a lowest storage shell.

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