refrigerator

Abstract

To provide a refrigerator capable of improving a heat radiation capacity of a condenser of a machine room.SOLUTION: A refrigerator according to the present disclosure comprises: a compressor, a condenser and a machine room fan provided in a machine room; and a guide member that guides an airflow generated by operation of the machine room fan. The guide member is arranged so as not to come into close contact with the condenser so that the airflow guided by the guide member passes through the condenser and exchanges heat.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the machine room of a refrigerator.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a refrigerator with improved heat transfer efficiency of the condenser in the machine room. The machine room of this refrigerator includes a lid that closes the machine room from the rear, a microchannel condenser as the condenser, and a shielding member that fills the gap between the lid and the condenser.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] This disclosure provides a refrigerator that aims to improve the heat dissipation capacity of the condenser in the machine room.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The refrigerator in this disclosure is a refrigerator including a compressor, a condenser, a machine room fan in the machine room, and a guide member that guides the airflow generated by the operation of the machine room fan, The guide member is arranged so as not to be in close contact with the condenser so that the airflow guided by the guide member exchanges heat through the condenser.

Effects of the Invention

[0006] The refrigerator in this disclosure can improve the heat dissipation capacity of the condenser.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0007] [Figure 1] Vertical Cross-Sectional View of the Refrigerator in Embodiment 1 [Figure 2] Rear perspective view of the refrigerator in Embodiment 1, as seen from the Z direction. [Figure 3] Cross-sectional view of the main part of the refrigerator as seen from the X direction in Embodiment 1 [Figure 4] Rear perspective view of the refrigerator in Embodiment 1, viewed from a different angle in the Z direction. [Figure 5] Plan view of the main part of the refrigerator as seen from the Y direction in Embodiment 1 [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] The embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. However, unnecessary details may be omitted. For example, detailed explanations of already well-known matters or redundant explanations of substantially identical configurations may be omitted. This is to avoid the following explanation becoming unnecessarily verbose and to facilitate understanding for those skilled in the art.

[0009] The attached drawings and the following description are provided to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand this disclosure and are not intended to limit the subject matter described in the claims.

[0010] (Embodiment 1) (Overall configuration of the refrigerator) Figure 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating the overall structure of a refrigerator.

[0011] In Figure 1, the refrigerator according to this embodiment includes a refrigerator body 1 with an open front. This refrigerator body 1 is composed of a metal outer box 2, a rigid resin inner box 3, and a foamed insulation material 4 formed by filling and foaming insulation material between the outer box 2 and the inner box 3. Multiple storage compartments are formed vertically by partition plates 5, 6, etc. Furthermore, each storage compartment of the refrigerator body 1 can be opened and closed by a rotating door 7 or a drawer-type door 8, 9, 10, which employ the same insulation configuration as the refrigerator body 1.

[0012] The storage chamber formed within the refrigerator body 1 consists of a refrigerating chamber 11 at the uppermost part, a switching chamber 12 provided below the refrigerating chamber 11 with a temperature zone that can be switched, an ice-making chamber (not shown) provided beside the switching chamber 12, and a freezing chamber 14 provided between the switching chamber 12, the ice-making chamber, and the vegetable chamber 13 at the lowermost part. And a plurality of shelf boards are provided in the refrigerating chamber 11, and a partial / chilled chamber 15 with a variable cooling temperature zone is provided below it.

[0013] Also, behind the partial / chilled chamber 15, a refrigerating chamber cooler 16 for cooling the refrigerating chamber 11 and a refrigerating chamber fan 17 for forcibly circulating the cold air generated by the refrigerating chamber cooler 16 are arranged.

[0014] Also, a machine room 18 is arranged at the upper rear part of the refrigerator body 1, and a compressor 19 constituting a refrigeration cycle is provided in the machine room 18.

[0015] Also, behind the freezing chamber 14, a freezing chamber cooler 20 for cooling the freezing chamber 14, the ice-making chamber, the switching chamber 12, and the vegetable chamber 13 is partitioned and arranged by the rear wall of the freezing chamber, and a freezing chamber fan 21 is arranged above the freezing chamber cooler 20.

[0016] (Configuration of the machine room) Figure 2 is a perspective view of the main part of the machine room 18, showing the state with the machine room cover 22 covering the machine room 18 removed.

[0017] The machine room cover 22 covers the top surface and the back surface of the machine room 18, and when viewed in the X direction, it is formed by a cover with a substantially L-shaped cross-section.

[0018] In the machine room 18, a compressor 19 constituting a refrigeration cycle, a condenser 24 connected to the compressor 19 by a pipe 23, and a three-way valve 25 for switching the refrigerant flow path are arranged.

[0019] As the condenser 24, a microchannel condenser is arranged (hereinafter, microchannel condenser 24).

[0020] A mechanical chamber fan 26 is arranged between the compressor 19 and the microchannel condenser 24.

[0021] The microchannel condenser 24 is formed by meandering a single flat tube 35 in the Z-axis direction and folding it back in multiple stages in the Y-axis direction, and heat dissipation fins 33 are formed between the folded flat tubes 35. A plurality of refrigerant flow paths are formed inside the flat tube 35. A cylindrical inlet header 31 extends horizontally at one end side of the flat tube 35, and a cylindrical outlet header 32 extends horizontally at the other end side.

[0022] The plurality of refrigerant flow paths formed inside the flat tube 35 communicate with the inlet header 31, and the inlet header 31 is connected to a connecting pipe 23 that connects to the refrigerant discharge pipe 19a of the compressor 19.

[0023] A guide member 27 is arranged on the outer shell of the microchannel condenser 24. The outer peripheral edge of the microchannel condenser 24 is composed of the flat tube 35 or the plate 40. In FIG. 3, an upper metal plate 40a is formed at the upper part of the microchannel condenser 24, and a lower plate 40b is formed at the lower part.

[0024] The microchannel condenser 24 is integrally formed with the guide member 27 with a convex portion 27a so that a space portion 34 can be secured between the upper plate 40a and the guide member 27. The lower plate 40b is placed on the bottom surface of the mechanical chamber 18, and the microchannel condenser 24 is arranged.

[0025] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the outer casing 26a of the mechanical chamber fan 26 and the outer shell of the microchannel condenser 24 are formed in a substantially rectangular shape, and the outer shell of the microchannel condenser 24 is formed larger than the casing 26a of the mechanical chamber fan 26.

[0026] The guide member 27 is formed by a guide portion 27a and a holding portion 27b that form a space portion 34 so as not to be in close contact with the microchannel condenser 24.

[0027] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view in the X direction of Figure 2, and a guide portion 27a is formed in the gap between the outer peripheral edge of the microchannel capacitor 24 and the inner machine room wall portion 28 facing it, and in the gap between the outer peripheral edge of the microchannel capacitor 24 and the machine room cover 22 facing it, at least in the portion where the gap dimension is largest.

[0028] As shown in Figure 3, the microchannel capacitor 24 is positioned such that the gap between it and the inner machine room wall 28 is smaller than the gap between it and the machine room cover 22.

[0029] Since the gap between the outer edge of the microchannel capacitor 24 and the machine room cover 22 facing it is the largest, a guide portion 27a is formed in a roughly L-shape between the outer edge of the microchannel capacitor 24 and the machine room cover 22, covering the microchannel capacitor 24.

[0030] As shown in Figure 4, the guide portion 27a is formed of a portion that covers and guides the microchannel capacitor 24 and a holding portion 27b that covers and holds the machine room fan 26. The holding portion 27b is formed to cover the entire circumference of the rectangular casing 26a of the machine room fan 26, and is fixed by sandwiching the casing 26a around its entire circumference. The guide portion 27a does not contact or adhere closely to the microchannel capacitor 24, and is supported by forming a space 34 between the guide portion 27a and the microchannel capacitor 24.

[0031] Furthermore, by operating the machine room fan 26, an airflow is generated that flows from the microchannel condenser 24 toward the compressor 19. A side wall suction opening 29 is formed in the side wall of the machine room 18 upstream of the microchannel condenser 24, and a side wall discharge opening 30 is formed in the side wall of the machine room 18 downstream of the compressor 19.

[0032] Furthermore, the machine room cover 22 has a cover suction opening 22a, which is located upwind of the windward edge of the guide portion 27a.

[0033] As described above, the guide member 27 has a guide portion 27a that guides and directs the airflow from the machine room fan 26 so that it passes through the microchannel capacitor 24 efficiently. The upstream end of the guide portion 27a is formed to cover the outer casing of the microchannel capacitor 24 in the X-axis direction and only needs to be positioned to extend over at least the downstream end 24a of the outer casing of the microchannel capacitor 24.

[0034] Furthermore, a three-way valve 25 is installed upstream of the microchannel condenser 24 to switch the flow path of the refrigerant to the refrigerator compartment cooler 16 or the freezer compartment cooler 20 connected to the refrigeration cycle. By placing the three-way valve 25 upstream, reheating of the refrigerant can be suppressed, and the cooling efficiency can be improved.

[0035] Furthermore, on the side of the inner machine room wall 28 where the guide portion 27a is not formed, the inner machine room wall 28, which is formed almost vertically, functions as a guide portion. Opposite the machine room cover 22, the upper end of the guide portion 27a, which is formed with a roughly L-shaped cross-section, extends close to the inner machine room wall 28. As a result, the microchannel capacitor 24 is placed in the internal region enclosed by the guide portion 27a and the inner machine room wall 28, and the outer circumference of the machine room fan 26 is held by the holding portion 27b which is continuously connected to the guide portion 27a. Therefore, the airflow generated by the operation of the machine room fan 26 can be guided by the guide portion 27a and the inner machine room wall 28 to the microchannel capacitor 24, thereby improving heat dissipation capacity.

[0036] Furthermore, a foam member 36 may be provided to reduce the gap between the inner machine room wall 28 and the microchannel condenser 24.

[0037] As described above, the guide portion 27a is positioned to cover only the outer casing of the microchannel capacitor 24 that is opposite the machine room cover 22. However, the outer casing of the microchannel capacitor 24 that is opposite the machine room wall portion 28 on the inside of the chamber may also be covered by the guide member 27a.

[0038] As a result, the guide portion 27a forms a space 34 between itself and the three sides of the outer casing of the microchannel capacitor 24, excluding the bottom edge, thus allowing it to be installed without the need to consider positioning it closer to the inner machine room wall portion 28, thus ensuring design flexibility.

[0039] (operation) The operation and function of the refrigerator configured as described above will be explained below.

[0040] When the machine room fan 26 is in operation, the air drawn in through the cover intake opening 22a and the side wall intake opening 29 formed in the machine room cover 22 passes through the space between the fan casing of the machine room fan 26 and the microchannel condenser 24, which is covered by the guide member 27. As a result, all the intake air passes through the microchannel condenser 24 side located inside the guide member 27a and exchanges heat with the heat dissipation fins 33 which are positioned in contact with the flat tube 35.

[0041] The heat-exchanged air is blown to the compressor 19 located downstream of the machine room fan 26 to cool the compressor 19.

[0042] The air cooled by the compressor 19 is discharged to the outside of the machine room 18 through the side wall discharge opening 30 and the discharge opening provided in the machine room cover.

[0043] Furthermore, by forming the guide member 27, the airflow generated by the operation of the machine room fan 26 can be guided to pass through the microchannel capacitor 24, thereby ensuring sufficient airflow volume and improving the heat dissipation capacity of the microchannel capacitor 24 by allowing it to pass through the heat dissipation fins 33.

[0044] Furthermore, since the guide member 27 is positioned so as not to be in close contact with the microchannel capacitor 24, the heat dissipation capacity can be improved without hindering heat dissipation from the outer periphery of the microchannel capacitor 24.

[0045] Furthermore, the guide portion 27a is formed in the gap between the outer peripheral edge of the microchannel condenser 24 and the inner machine room wall portion 28 facing it, and in the gap between the outer peripheral edge of the microchannel condenser 24 and the machine room cover 22 facing it, at least in the portion with the largest gap dimension. This efficiently guides the airflow generated by the operation of the machine room fan 26 to the microchannel condenser 24, reducing the amount of air that does not exchange heat with the heat dissipation fins 33, thereby improving heat dissipation capacity.

[0046] Furthermore, the guide portion 27a is formed of a portion that covers and guides the microchannel capacitor 24 and a holding portion 27b that covers and holds the machine room fan 26, thereby suppressing the airflow that has passed through the microchannel capacitor 24 from flowing toward the machine room wall, reducing pressure loss due to airflow expansion, increasing the airflow in the machine room, and improving heat dissipation capacity.

[0047] Furthermore, the size of the space 34 is larger than the gap between adjacent heat dissipation fins 33. Also, as shown in the figure, the microchannel condenser 24 is positioned so that the heat dissipation fins 33 are located within the projection plane of the machine room fan 26. Therefore, even if dust adheres to the heat dissipation fins 33 and clogs them, the airflow can still pass through the space 34 and be supplied to the compressor 19 downstream, thus maintaining the cooling capacity of the compressor 19.

[0048] Furthermore, the upstream end of the guide portion 27a is formed to cover the outer casing of the microchannel capacitor 24 in the X-axis direction, and by being positioned to extend at least over the downstream end 24a of the outer casing of the microchannel capacitor 24, it is possible to guide the air taken in from the side wall intake opening 29 and the cover intake opening 22a to the microchannel capacitor 24, thereby improving the heat dissipation capacity.

[0049] Although the explanation described a configuration in which the machine room 18 is located at the upper rear of the refrigerator body 1, even if it is located at the lower rear of the refrigerator body 1, the same configuration as described above can be used to improve heat dissipation capacity and maintain the cooling capacity of the compressor 19 even if dust adheres to the heat dissipation fins 33 of the microchannel condenser 24. □The embodiments described above are for illustrative purposes only and may be modified, replaced, added, or omitted within the claims or equivalent scope. [Industrial applicability]

[0050] This disclosure is applicable to refrigerators that aim to improve the heat dissipation capacity of their capacitors. [Explanation of symbols]

[0051] 1. Refrigerator unit 18 Machine room 19 Compressor 24 microchannel capacitors 26 Machine Room Fan 27 Guide member

Claims

1. A refrigerator comprising a compressor, a microchannel condenser, and a machine room fan in a machine room, and having a guide member for guiding the airflow generated by the operation of the machine room fan, The guide member is It is arranged to cover at least a portion of the outer circumference of the microchannel capacitor, The microchannel capacitor does not come into close contact with the outer casing, forming a space between it and the outer casing. The dimensions of the aforementioned space are formed to be larger than the gap dimensions between adjacent heat dissipation fins of the microchannel capacitor. The refrigerator is characterized in that the guide member integrally has a holding portion that clamps and secures the entire circumference of the casing of the machine room fan.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein a protrusion is formed integrally with the guide member so as to secure the space.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that an opening is formed in the side wall of the machine room.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that the machine room is located at the upper rear of the refrigerator.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that the machine room is located at the lower rear of the refrigerator.

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