Cooling warehouse

Abstract

To provide a cooling storage capable of suppressing generation of dew condensation in drying operation while suppressing increase in the manufacturing cost and the space.SOLUTION: A cooling storage 10 includes: a cooling storage body 11 having a first front opening 11S; a cooling device 12 having a compressor 27, a condenser 28, a condenser fan 29, and an evaporator; a circulating fan 25 for circulating air in the cooling storage body 11; a machine chamber 15 having a second front opening 15S and storing at least the condenser fan 29; a door 13 for opening and closing the first front opening 11S; and a control unit 60. The control unit 60 operates the circulating fan 25 and the condenser fan 29 without operating the compressor 27 in a state where the door 13 is opened in drying operation for drying the inside of the cooling storage body 11.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present technology relates to refrigerators. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, rapid cooling cabinets (crude cooling machines, blast chillers) are known for rapidly cooling high-temperature foods in a short period of time. In rapid cooling cabinets, the internal fan rotates at high speed to rapidly cool the food, and the wind pressure from the internal fan can cause moisture and oils in the food to splash inside the cabinet. For this reason, the interior of rapid cooling cabinets is periodically cleaned with water by the user manually or using an automatic cleaning function. After cleaning, it is preferable to dry the interior of the cabinet, as leaving moisture inside the cabinet can easily lead to the growth of mold and bacteria.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses an example of the drying operation of a rapid cooling cabinet. The rapid cooling cabinet described in Patent Document 1 uses an internal drying heater to heat the air inside the cabinet while rotating an internal drying fan to dry the interior. The wind pressure generated by the internal drying fan opens the door slightly, allowing the air inside the cabinet to flow out and outside air to flow into the cabinet, thereby drying the contents while ventilating. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-80332 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, when the door is opened to release the air from the refrigerator as described above, the released air is warm, moist steam and can adhere to the components of the refrigerator, causing condensation. If this condensation occurs in, for example, electrical components, there is a risk of short circuits or other problems. Therefore, if an intake and exhaust path is provided using piping or the like to release the air from the refrigerator without opening the door, the manufacturing costs and installation space required for installing the piping and on-off valves would increase.

[0006] The technology described in this specification was developed based on the above-mentioned circumstances, and aims to realize a refrigerator that can suppress the occurrence of condensation during drying operation while suppressing increases in manufacturing costs and space. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The refrigerator according to the technology described in the present specification includes a refrigerator body having a first front opening, a compressor for compressing a refrigerant, a condenser for liquefying the refrigerant compressed by the compressor, a condenser fan for air-cooling the condenser, and an evaporator for vaporizing the refrigerant from the condenser to generate cool air; a circulation fan for circulating air within the refrigerator body; The refrigerator is equipped with a machine room having a second front opening and accommodating at least the condenser fan, a door for opening and closing the first front opening, and a control unit, and the control unit operates the circulation fan and the condenser fan without operating the compressor when the door is open during drying operation to dry the inside of the refrigerator body.

[0008] In the refrigerator configured as described above, when the door is open during drying operation and the condenser fan in the machine compartment is operated, the air inside the refrigerator body flows out through the first front opening and is then drawn into the machine compartment through the second front opening. This allows the air inside the refrigerator body to flow into the machine compartment and be exhausted from the machine compartment to the outside. This also eliminates the need for separate piping and solenoid valves to provide an intake and exhaust path, thereby reducing manufacturing costs and installation space.

[0009] The refrigerator also includes an electrical box that houses the control unit, and the electrical box is disposed above the first front opening. When the electrical box is disposed in this manner, there is a greater concern that the air inside the refrigerator body will rise through the first front opening and enter the electrical box located above the first front opening, or that condensation will occur inside the electrical box. Even in such a case, the occurrence of condensation can be effectively suppressed by operating the condenser fan.

[0010] The refrigerator further includes a heater capable of heating the inside of the refrigerator body, and the control unit operates the heater during the drying operation. In this way, the time required for the drying operation can be shortened by heating the air inside the refrigerator body with the heater.

[0011] Further, the control unit operates the heater and the circulation fan without operating the compressor and the condenser fan during a defrosting operation to melt frost adhering to the evaporator, After the defrosting operation, the condenser fan is operated to perform the drying operation, which makes it possible to suppress the amount of defrost water remaining after the defrosting operation.

[0012] The evaporator is a microchannel heat exchanger that exchanges heat with the air passing through it, which allows the evaporator to be made smaller, and therefore the refrigerator to be made smaller.

[0013] The air conditioner further includes an operation unit for instructing the control unit to start the drying operation. In this way, the user can start the defrosting operation or the drying operation at a desired timing by operating the operation unit, making it easier to unclog the evaporator. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the technology described in this specification, it is possible to realize a refrigerator that can suppress the occurrence of condensation during drying operation while suppressing increases in manufacturing costs and space. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator according to a first embodiment; [Figure 2] Perspective view of the refrigerator with the door open [Figure 3] Cross section of line AA in Figure 1 [Figure 4] Left side view of the refrigerator [Figure 5] Cross section of line BB in Figure 4 [Figure 6] Cross section of line CC in Figure 4 [Figure 7] Schematic diagram of the refrigeration cycle [Figure 8] Enlarged view of the upper part of the door in Figure 4 [Figure 9] Left side view of the cooling cabinet showing the door open during drying operation [Figure 10] Perspective view of a door stopper [Figure 11] Cross section of line DD in Figure 9 [Figure 12] Enlarged view of the door stopper area in Figure 11 [Figure 13] A perspective view of a microchannel heat exchanger and a defrosting heater. [Figure 14] A plan view showing the structure of a microchannel heat exchanger. [Figure 15] A perspective view schematically showing flat refrigerant tubes of a microchannel heat exchanger. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] <Embodiment 1> A refrigerator 10 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 15. Note that the symbols F, Rr, L, R, U, and D shown in the figures respectively indicate the front and rear in the front-to-rear direction of the refrigerator 10, the left and right in the width direction (left-right direction) when viewed from the front, and the top and bottom in the vertical direction (up-down direction). However, the above directions are merely defined for convenience and should not be interpreted in a restrictive manner.

[0017] Refrigerator 10 is a rapid cooling chamber (a rough cooling machine, a blast chiller) that rapidly cools high-temperature food (an example of an object to be cooled) after cooking in a short period of time. Refrigerator 10 can rapidly cool (including freezing) food by passing through a temperature range where bacteria are likely to grow (e.g., +10°C to +60°C) and a temperature range where ice crystals grow when the water in the food freezes (e.g., -1°C to -5°C) in a short period of time. Refrigerator 10 is a small rapid cooling chamber that can be used in small stores, and its external dimensions are, for example, approximately 500 mm (horizontal) × 500 mm (front-to-back) × 510 mm (vertical). However, the technology described in this specification is not limited to small refrigerators 10, but can also be applied to medium- to large-sized refrigerators.

[0018] 1 to 6, refrigerator 10 has a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape overall and roughly comprises refrigerator body 11, a cooling device 12 for cooling storage chamber 14 formed within refrigerator body 11, a machine room 15 arranged above refrigerator body 11, and a heat-insulating door 13 for opening and closing first front opening 11S of refrigerator body 11. Refrigerator body 11 is an insulated box having first front opening 11S, and is composed of walls (more specifically, ceiling wall 11A, bottom wall 11B, left side wall 11C, right side wall 11D, and rear wall 11E) filled with a heat insulating material such as urethane foam.

[0019] As shown in Figures 2 and 3 and 5 and 6, a cooling case (fan cover) 17 is provided along the right side wall 11D inside the refrigerator main body 11 (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as the inside of the refrigerator). Inside the cooling case 17, an evaporator 23 constituting part of the cooling device 12 and a plurality of (two in this embodiment) evaporator fans 25 (an example of a circulation fan) are housed and lined up in this order from the right side wall 11D side, and a defrosting heater 24 that melts frost adhering to the evaporator 23 is provided between the evaporator 23 and the right side wall 11D. The defrosting heater 24 also serves as a heating means for raising the temperature inside the refrigerator.

[0020] The evaporator 23 is a so-called microchannel heat exchanger, the configuration of which will be described in detail later. The defrosting heater 24 is a sheathed heater provided in a serpentine shape along one side (right side) of the evaporator 23 (FIG. 13). The defrosting heater 24 may be formed of a material other than a sheathed heater as long as it can perform a heating function. The evaporator fan 25 is equipped with a waterproof, constant-speed DC motor. The DC motor of each evaporator fan 25 is connected to a relay circuit on the control board 62A, which will be described later, and can be driven individually.

[0021] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, a rear duct 20 is provided on the rear wall 11E of the refrigerator body 11. The right end of the rear duct 20 is connected to the rear end of the cooling case 17, and the inside of the rear duct 20 (the space surrounded by the rear wall 11E and the rear duct 20) serves as a flow path for returning air from the cooling case 17 to the storage chamber 14. A plurality of air outlets 20A are formed in the rear duct 20, and air that flows into the rear duct 20 is blown out from the air outlets 20A into the storage chamber 14. A drain outlet 11B1 is provided on the rear of the bottom wall 11B for draining water that is generated when the interior of the refrigerator is cleaned, and a drain hose 90 is connected to the drain outlet 11B1 for draining the water to the outside.

[0022] Within refrigerator body 11, the area surrounded by ceiling wall 11A, bottom wall 11B, left side wall 11C, cooling case 17, and rear duct 20 forms storage chamber 14 for storing items to be cooled. As shown in Figure 6, left side wall 11C and cooling case 17 are provided with a multi-tiered tray support structure 16, and trays carrying food items are inserted into and removed from storage chamber 14 through first front opening 11S. The trays are supported by tray support structure 16 and can be stored in multiple rows vertically.

[0023] As shown in Fig. 3, a plurality of intake ports 17A1 are formed in the left wall portion 17A of the cooling case 17, on which the tray support structure 16 is provided. The plurality of intake ports 17A1 are provided at positions facing at least the evaporator fan 25, and when the evaporator fan 25 is activated, the air inside the accommodation chamber 14 is drawn into the cooling case 17 through the intake ports 17A1. The cooling case 17 has an openable / closable structure, and by removing the fastener 17B, the cooling case 17 can be opened so that the accommodation portion for the evaporator fan 25 and the accommodation portion for the evaporator 23 are separated. Opening the cooling case 17 makes it easier to clean and dry the evaporator fan 25 and the evaporator 23.

[0024] According to the structure of the refrigerator body 11 described above, when the evaporator fan 25 is activated, the air inside the storage chamber 14 is drawn into the evaporator fan 25 through the intake port 17A1 of the cooling case 17, passes through the evaporator 23, and then flows into the rear duct 20, as shown by the arrows in FIG. 5 . The air inside the rear duct 20 then returns to the storage chamber 14 through the outlet port 20A. Such a circulation flow path is formed inside the refrigerator, and an internal temperature sensor 21 that detects the internal temperature is provided at a position where the air passing through this circulation flow path hits. In this embodiment, the internal temperature sensor 21 is provided inside the rear duct 20.

[0025] As shown in Figures 2 to 6, the machine room 15 is located on the ceiling wall 11A of the refrigerator body 11. The left, right, rear, and top of the machine room 15 are covered with a panel 15A having multiple air vents 15A1. By attaching a separate mounting member to the top surface of the panel 15A, other equipment such as an oven cooker can be placed on it, improving convenience for use in small stores. As shown in Figure 4, a second front opening 15S is provided on the front of the machine room 15, and a horizontally elongated first electrical box (operation box) 61 is attached above the second front opening 15S. An air filter 18 is attached to the second front opening 15S to allow air to pass through while preventing foreign matter such as dust from entering the machine room 15 (more specifically, the condenser 28 described below). As shown in FIGS. 4 and 8, when the door 13 is closed, the front of the opening edge of the second front opening 15S is covered by the door 13 with a gap G1 therebetween.

[0026] As shown in Fig. 2, air filter 18 has a configuration in which a mesh-like sheet member 18B is attached to frame body 18A. Air filter 18 is detachably attached to the opening edge of second front opening 15S of machine room 15, so that a user can open door 13, remove air filter 18, and perform cleaning, etc. In addition, an attachment sensor 19 that detects the presence or absence of air filter 18 is provided at the opening edge of second front opening 15S. A sensor that performs electrical or mechanical detection, or a switch (for example, a reed switch or a microswitch) can be used as attachment sensor 19, and the type is not particularly limited.

[0027] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, door 13 is a swinging right-opening door that is large enough to cover the front of refrigerator body 11 and the lower front surface of machine room 15. Door 13 is swingably attached to the right side of the opening edge of first front opening 11S of refrigerator body 11 by hinge member 40. The portion of door 13 that covers the front surface of refrigerator body 11 is thermally insulated. Gasket 13A is provided on the surface (rear surface) of door 13 facing refrigerator body 11 so as to correspond to the opening edge of first front opening 11S. Door 13 can open and close first front opening 11S by having gasket 13A come into close contact with the opening edge of first front opening 11S. On the other hand, the portion of door 13 that covers the lower front surface of machine room 15 is not thermally insulated, and no gasket is provided in the portion that corresponds to the opening edge of second front opening 15S. The door 13 is closed without sealing the second front opening 15S, leaving a gap G1 between the door 13 and the opening edge of the second front opening 15S (FIG. 8). When the door 13 is closed, the second front opening 15S and the air filter 18 are covered from the front by the door 13 and cannot be seen from the front.

[0028] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 8 , a gap G1 is formed between the upper left and right sides of the door 13 when the door 13 is closed. This allows outside air to flow into the machine chamber 15 from the gap G1 through the second front opening 15S. That is, an intake air flow path is formed between the upper left and right sides of the door 13, allowing outside air to flow from the gap G1 to the second front opening 15S. The intake air flow path allows outside air to flow into the machine chamber 15 even when the door 13 is closed, which increases the amount of air flowing into the condenser 28 in the machine chamber 15. This allows the condenser 28 to be efficiently air-cooled, lowering the condensation temperature of the refrigerant in the condenser 28 and reducing the load on the compressor 27. Furthermore, reducing the load on the compressor 27 reduces the power consumption required to operate the compressor 27. Furthermore, the outside air passing through the intake air flow path reduces condensation on the top of the packing 13A of the door 13.

[0029] As shown in FIGS. 9 to 12, the door 13 is also provided with a rubber door stopper 45. The door stopper 45 is located above the packing 13A of the door 13, at the end opposite the pivot shaft to which the hinge member 40 is attached. To allow the door 13 to be used as a left-hinged door, a hole is provided at the end opposite the pivot shaft to which the hinge member 40 can be attached, and the door stopper 45 is rotatably inserted into this hole. By rotating the door stopper 45 90 degrees (FIG. 12) and bringing its one end 45A into contact with the edge of the first front opening 11S or the edge of the second front opening 15S, the door 13 can be held slightly open. The door stopper 45 is designed in terms of its material and shape so that it can be rotated by the user's application of force, but is not easily rotated by vibrations or the like caused by the opening and closing of the door 13. The door stopper 45 has a symmetrical shape so that it can also be used when the door 13 is used as a left-hand door.

[0030] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 6 , the machinery compartment 15 accommodates the machinery (compressor 27, condenser 28, condenser fan 29, etc.) that constitutes the cooling device 12, a first electrical box 61, and a second electrical box 62. The first electrical box 61 is attached to the upper front side of the machinery compartment 15 and has a horizontally long box shape. The left-right length of the first electrical box 61 is approximately the same as the left-right length of the door 13, and the bottom surface of the first electrical box 61 covers the entire upper surface of the door 13 from above. The front surface of the first electrical box 61 protrudes forward relative to the opening edge of the second front opening 15S of the machinery compartment 15 and the air filter 18, and the protruding length is such that it is approximately flush with the front surface of the door 13 when the door 13 is closed ( FIG. 8 ).

[0031] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 , the first electrical box 61 houses a display unit 61A that displays information, an operation unit 61B having various operation buttons, and an operation board 61C. The display unit 61A and the operation unit 61B are provided on the front surface of the first electrical box 61. The display unit 61A displays the current operation mode and various messages. The display unit 61A also functions as an alarm unit. For example, if the air filter 18 is not installed, a warning (including an error message) is displayed on the display unit 61A to notify the user of the forgetting to install the filter. Note that the display unit 61A is merely one example of an alarm unit, and the alarm unit may be a sound generating device such as a buzzer or a combination thereof. The user can operate the operation unit 61B to select the operation mode (cooling operation, drying operation, etc.) of the refrigerator 10 and issue an instruction to start operation. The display unit 61A and the operation unit 61B are connected to a control board 62A of the second electrical box 62 (described later) via the operation board 61C. The display unit 61A and the operation unit 61B may be integrally provided as a display device having a touch panel function.

[0032] As shown in Figures 3 and 6, the second electrical box 62 is provided on the rear right side of the first electrical box 61. The second electrical box 62 houses a control board 62A that includes circuits for controlling the operation of the refrigerator 10 and supplying power, a memory unit, etc. The control board 62A is electrically connected to an operation board 61C in the first electrical box 61, and the control board 62A and the operation board 61C form a control unit 60 that controls various devices in the refrigerator 10. The control unit 60 executes a control program recorded in the memory unit and controls the compressor 27, condenser fan 29, evaporator fan 25, defrost heater 24, etc. based on the detection results of each sensor and the operation of the operation unit 61B, thereby operating the refrigerator 10.

[0033] 7, the cooling device 12 includes a compressor 27, a condenser 28, a condenser fan 29, a dryer 30, an expansion valve (internal equalizing type) 31, and an evaporator 23. The compressor 27, the condenser 28, the dryer 30, the expansion valve 31, and the evaporator 23 are connected by a refrigerant pipe 12A, and the refrigerant is circulated in a predetermined direction to form a known refrigeration cycle. The cooling device 12 also includes a pressure-equalizing solenoid valve 32 in parallel with the compressor 27.

[0034] The compressor 27 is a constant-speed compressor equipped with a constant-speed motor. The compressor 27 uses the motor as a power source to draw in and compress refrigerant gas and discharge the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant gas. A constant-speed compressor does not require components (such as an inverter circuit) for varying the rotation speed of the motor, and is therefore smaller and less expensive than a variable-speed inverter compressor. The condenser 28 cools and liquefies the refrigerant gas compressed by the compressor 27 using air blown by a condenser fan 29. As shown in FIG. 3 , the condenser 28 is inclined and disposed behind the second front opening 15S and the air filter 18 of the machine chamber 15 (on the air outflow side). The evaporator 23 reduces the pressure of the refrigerant liquid from the condenser 28 using an expansion valve 31 and then vaporizes it, thereby cooling the air passing through the evaporator 23 through heat exchange. The refrigerant gas from the evaporator 23 is returned to the compressor 27.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 3, the condenser fan 29 is installed upright behind the condenser 28. When the condenser fan 29 is activated, outside air flows in through the second front opening 15S and passes through the condenser 28 from front to rear, cooling the condenser 28. As will be described later, the condenser fan 29 also serves as an intake means for drawing air into the machine room 15 during drying operation to form an exhaust flow path connecting the refrigerator body 11, the first front opening 11S, the second front opening 15S, and the machine room 15. The refrigerant passing through the condenser 28 is a high-temperature gas near the inlet on the compressor 27 side. As the refrigerant progresses through the condenser 28, it cools and its temperature decreases. When the temperature of the refrigerant gas drops to a saturation temperature (condensation temperature) corresponding to the pressure, it begins to condense into a liquid. The liquefaction rate of the refrigerant gas increases as it progresses through the condenser 28, and it becomes almost a refrigerant liquid near the outlet on the dryer 30 side. The dryer 30 removes moisture that has become mixed in the refrigerant.

[0036] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 7 , a condenser temperature sensor 26 (specifically, a temperature thermistor) is attached to the refrigerant outlet side of the condenser 28 in a manner housed in a thermistor holder. At the refrigerant outlet side of the condenser 28, most of the refrigerant is condensed and liquefied, and its temperature matches the condensation temperature. Therefore, the condenser temperature sensor 26 detects the condensation temperature of the refrigerant. Furthermore, because the condensation temperature of the refrigerant changes depending on the refrigerant pressure, the condenser temperature sensor 26 can indirectly detect the refrigerant pressure. Furthermore, if the condensation temperature (refrigerant pressure) of the refrigerant in the condenser 28 is high, it can be said that the refrigerant temperature (refrigerant pressure) in the compressor 27, which flows the refrigerant into the condenser 28, is also high. Therefore, by monitoring the temperature T26 detected by the condenser temperature sensor 26, it is possible to determine whether the refrigerant temperature (refrigerant pressure) in the compressor 27 is high and, ultimately, whether the compressor 27 is operating under overload.

[0037] The condenser 28 and the evaporator 23 are both microchannel heat exchangers with the same basic structure. Therefore, the following description of the structure of a microchannel heat exchanger will be given using the evaporator 23 as an example. As shown in FIGS. 13 to 15 , the evaporator 23 includes hollow cylindrical first and second head tubes 23A and 23B connected to the refrigerant tubes 12A, a plurality of flat refrigerant tubes 23C connecting the two head tubes 23A and 23B, and numerous fins 23D provided between the flat refrigerant tubes 23C. The first head tube 23A is connected to the refrigerant tube 12A on the refrigerant inlet side (expansion valve 31 side), and the refrigerant flows in from the refrigerant tube 12A. The second head tube 23B is connected to the refrigerant tube 12A on the refrigerant outlet side (compressor 27 side), and the refrigerant flows out to the refrigerant tube 12A. The flat refrigerant tubes 23C have a plurality of channels 23C1, which are minute internal cavities. The maximum inner diameter of each channel 23C1 is small, for example, about 1 mm to 2 mm. Each channel 23C1 serves as a refrigerant flow path through which the refrigerant flowing in from the first head tube 23A passes before flowing out to the second head tube 23B. The fins 23D are thin plates arranged in a bellows shape (triangular wave shape) between adjacent flat refrigerant tubes 23C. The fins 23D are joined to the outer surfaces of the flat refrigerant tubes 23C, and the fins 23D increase the surface area, thereby improving heat exchange capacity.

[0038] Using microchannel heat exchangers for the condenser 28 and the evaporator 23 allows for their miniaturization. For example, the thickness (lateral length) of the evaporator 23 according to this embodiment is approximately 30 mm, which is thinner than the approximately 55 mm thickness of a fin-and-tube heat exchanger (a heat exchanger having multiple flat fins and a single refrigerant tube that snakes through the multiple fins) with equivalent heat exchange capacity. However, because the spacing between the fins 23D (fin pitch L23D) of a microchannel heat exchanger is small, its use in the condenser 28 makes it prone to clogging due to the adhesion of foreign matter such as dust and oily smoke. Therefore, in this embodiment, if the attachment sensor 19 detects that the air filter 18 is not attached, the control unit 60, as described below, controls the refrigerator 10 not to operate. This allows for the condenser 28 to be miniaturized while preventing clogging due to the air filter 18 and reducing the frequency of maintenance work by a maintenance technician.

[0039] Furthermore, when a microchannel heat exchanger is used for the evaporator 23, clogging due to frosting is likely to occur due to the small fin pitch L23D. Furthermore, defrosted water generated from frost melted during defrosting operation is likely to remain, raising concerns that the defrosted water may refreeze and cause further clogging. Therefore, in this embodiment, the control unit 60 executes a drying operation to dry the remaining defrosted water after the defrosting operation. This allows the evaporator 23 to be downsized, while suppressing clogging due to frost and reducing the frequency of maintenance by a maintenance technician.

[0040] Next, the operation of the refrigerator 10 will be described in detail. The operation modes of the refrigerator 10 are roughly divided into cooling operation (rapid cooling operation), defrosting operation, and drying operation, and each operation mode will be described below. If the attachment sensor 19 detects that the air filter 18 is not attached, the control unit 60 will not start each operation and will display a warning on the display unit 61A. This makes it easier to prevent clogging of the condenser 28, even when a microchannel heat exchanger is used for the condenser 28 as in this embodiment. Note that "not starting operation" means "not operating equipment that should be operated during operation."

[0041] The cooling operation is an operating mode for rapidly cooling hot cooked food. The cooling operation is initiated by the user placing a tray containing food in the storage compartment 14 and then operating the operating unit 61B to initiate the cooling operation. During the cooling operation, the control unit 60 activates the compressor 27, condenser fan 29, and evaporator fan 25 of the cooling device 12. As shown by the arrows in FIG. 5 , the air inside the storage compartment 14 is drawn into the evaporator fan 25 through the air inlet 17A1 and cooled as it passes through the evaporator 23. The cooled air from the evaporator 23 passes through the rear duct 20 and is blown into the storage compartment 14 through the air outlet 20A. The blown air travels forward, passing between the trays and then being drawn into the air inlet 17A1 of the cooling case 17. This allows the cooled air to circulate within the storage compartment, rapidly cooling the food. The air inside the storage compartment also circulates along the same circulation path during the drying operation described below.

[0042] The defrosting operation is an operation mode for defrosting the evaporator 23. The defrosting operation is performed as needed during the cooling operation, or is performed when the user operates the operation unit 61B to instruct the start of the defrosting operation. In the defrosting operation, the control unit 60 stops the compressor 27 and the condenser fan 29 of the cooling device 12, and operates the evaporator fan 25 and the defrost heater 24. In the defrosting operation, the cooling device 12 is stopped and the defrost heater 24 is operated, thereby heating the evaporator 23. This allows the frost adhering to the evaporator 23 to melt.

[0043] Drying operation is an operation mode for drying the interior of the refrigerator. Drying operation is performed after defrosting operation, or when the user operates operation unit 61B to instruct the start of drying operation. As shown in Figures 9, 11, and 12, the user opens door 13 prior to drying operation and rotates door stopper 45 to bring one end 45A into contact with the front of refrigerator body 11 or machine room 15, thereby slightly opening door 13. This allows refrigerator body 11 to exchange air between the inside and outside of the refrigerator.

[0044] In the drying operation, the control unit 60 operates the evaporator fan 25, the defrost heater 24, and the condenser fan 29 without operating the compressor 27. With the air inside and outside the refrigerator able to be exchanged, the defrost heater 24 and the evaporator fan 25 raise and maintain the temperature inside the refrigerator at approximately +40°C to +60°C while circulating the air inside the refrigerator, thereby drying out any moisture remaining inside the refrigerator (for example, cleaning water remaining in the storage chamber 14 and defrost water remaining in the evaporator 23). As described above, the evaporator 23 according to this embodiment is a microchannel heat exchanger that is prone to clogging with frost. However, by performing the drying operation after the defrosting operation, clogging of the evaporator 23 can be reliably suppressed.

[0045] Furthermore, the user can operate the operation unit 61B to start the defrosting operation or the drying operation at the desired timing, thereby more reliably clearing clogging of the evaporator 23. Even if the defrosting operation is started by operating the operation unit 61B, it is preferable that the control unit 60 executes the drying operation after the defrosting operation to prevent the defrost water from refreezing. In this case, after the defrosting operation is completed, the user opens the door 13 slightly as described above, and operates the operation unit 61B to instruct the start of the drying operation.

[0046] When the condenser fan 29 is operated during drying operation, as shown by the arrows in FIG. 9 , the air inside the refrigerator flows out through the first front opening 11S, rises through the gap with the slightly opened door 13, and is sucked into the machine room 15 through the second front opening 15S. This causes the air inside the refrigerator to flow into the machine room 15 and be exhausted to the outside through the vent 15A1 of the machine room 15. Therefore, by operating the condenser fan 29, the outflow direction of the warm, moist air (steam) from the refrigerator body 11 can be controlled, forming an exhaust flow path leading from the refrigerator body 11 to the first front opening 11S, the second front opening 15S, and the machine room 15. If the condenser fan 29 were not operated, the air inside the refrigerator would flow out through the first front opening 11S, rise through the gap with the door 13, and hit the bottom of the first electrical box 61. As a result, there is a concern that steam may enter the first electrical box 61 or adhere to the electrical components inside the first electrical box 61, causing condensation and resulting in malfunctions such as short circuits. In contrast, according to this embodiment, by slightly opening the door 13 and operating the condenser fan 29, it is possible to achieve intake and exhaust while suppressing the occurrence of such condensation. Furthermore, since there is no need to provide separate piping and solenoid valves to provide intake and exhaust paths, it is possible to suppress increases in manufacturing costs and installation space.

[0047] <Other embodiments> The technology described in this specification is not limited to the embodiments described above and in the drawings, and for example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the technology described in this specification.

[0048] (1) The machine room 15 may be located in a position other than above the storage body 11, as long as it can suck in the air that flows out from the storage body 11 (for example, below the storage body 11, or on the side opposite the swing axis of the door 13 on which the hinge member 40 is provided).

[0049] (2) The circulation fan may be any fan other than the evaporator fan 25 installed adjacent to the evaporator 23, as long as it can circulate the air inside the refrigerator. The number of circulation fans is not limited to two.

[0050] (3) During the defrosting operation and the drying operation, the control unit 60 may operate the evaporator fan 25 intermittently by repeatedly turning it on and off.

[0051] (4) During defrosting and drying operations, the control unit 60 may adjust the operation rate (power supply rate) of the defrost heater 24, or may perform defrosting and drying by blowing air from the evaporator fan 25 without operating the defrost heater 24.

[0052] (5) The heating means for the interior of the refrigerator may be something other than the defrosting heater 24, and may be, for example, a heater provided in the rear duct 20. [Explanation of symbols]

[0053] 10: Refrigeration chamber, 11: Refrigeration chamber body, 11S: First front opening, 12: Cooling device, 13: Door, 15: Machine room, 15S: Second front opening, 23: Evaporator, 24: Defrosting heater (heater), 25: Evaporator fan (circulation fan), 27: Compressor, 28: Condenser, 29: Condenser fan, 60: Control unit, 61: First electrical box, 61B: Operation unit

Claims

1. a refrigerator body having a first front opening; a cooling device including a compressor that compresses a refrigerant, a condenser that liquefies the refrigerant compressed by the compressor, a condenser fan that air-cools the condenser, and an evaporator that vaporizes the refrigerant from the condenser to generate cool air; A circulation fan that circulates air within the cooling cabinet body; a machine room having a second front opening and accommodating at least the condenser fan; a door for opening and closing the first front opening; a control unit, the door covers the second front opening from the front while leaving a gap between the door and the second front opening in a closed state; The condenser fan also serves as an intake means for drawing air from the refrigerator body into the machine room through the first front opening, the gap, and the second front opening when the door is opened. The control unit of the refrigerator operates the circulation fan and the condenser fan without operating the compressor when the door is open during a drying operation to dry the inside of the refrigerator body.

2. an electrical box that houses the control unit; The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the electrical equipment box is disposed above the first front opening.

3. A heater capable of heating the inside of the refrigerator body is provided, The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit activates the heater during the drying operation.

4. The control unit During a defrosting operation for melting frost adhering to the evaporator, the compressor and the condenser fan are not operated, and the heater and the circulation fan are operated. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein the condenser fan is operated to perform the drying operation after the defrosting operation.

5. 5. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the evaporator is a microchannel heat exchanger that exchanges heat with air passing through the interior of the evaporator.

6. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising an operation unit for instructing the control unit to start the drying operation.

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