Cooling apparatus and operating method therefor

Abstract

A cooling apparatus according to an embodiment includes an evaporator through which a refrigerant that absorbs heat from a fluid to be cooled is moved. The evaporator may include: a first evaporator module; a second evaporator module; a planar heating element extending along a plane perpendicular to a first direction and arranged between the first evaporator module and the second evaporator module; and a sensor module which has a voltage electrode arranged between the first evaporator module and the second evaporator module and a ground electrode arranged to be spaced apart from the voltage electrode with any one of the first evaporator module and the second evaporator module therebetween, and which senses the capacitance between the voltage electrode and the ground electrode.

Description

Cooling devices and methods of operation of cooling devices

[0001] The present invention relates to a cooling device including an evaporator having a surface heating element and a method of operating the cooling device.

[0002] A "refrigeration cycle" is a cycle that cools a specific object or space by using a refrigerant, a substance that is sensitive to temperature and pressure, to absorb heat at low temperature and low pressure and release heat at high temperature and high pressure, which is a thermodynamic process.

[0003] The refrigeration cycle can be performed by a system consisting of a compressor that compresses low-temperature, low-pressure gaseous refrigerant to make it high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant, a condenser that cools the high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant to make it high-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant, an expander that changes the high-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant to low-temperature, low-pressure liquid refrigerant, and an evaporator that absorbs heat from the surroundings to make the low-temperature, low-pressure liquid refrigerant to low-temperature, low-pressure gaseous refrigerant.

[0004] The property of a low-temperature, low-pressure liquid refrigerant absorbing heat from its surroundings as it changes into a low-temperature, low-pressure gas refrigerant can be utilized in cooling devices such as air conditioners and refrigerators.

[0005] During initial operation of the refrigeration unit, the indoor cooler cools the room-temperature air in the refrigerator and removes moisture. When the temperature inside the refrigeration unit drops below approximately 5 degrees Celsius, the evaporator mounted on the cooler drops below freezing, causing moisture in the air to condense. This causes frost to form on the evaporator, a phenomenon known as frost formation.

[0006] Frosting on the evaporator of a cooling device reduces cooling performance. If frosting becomes severe, it can form a buildup of ice, similar to snow, inside the evaporator, making cooling difficult. Therefore, frosting on the evaporator must be periodically removed, a process called defrosting.

[0007] Another example cooling device may include an evaporator through which a refrigerant moves, absorbing heat from the fluid to be cooled.

[0008] An evaporator according to one example may include a first evaporator module having a first refrigerant tube through which refrigerant moves and a plurality of first cooling fins arranged on an outer surface of the first refrigerant tube, and a second evaporator module having a second refrigerant tube through which refrigerant moves and a plurality of second cooling fins arranged on an outer surface of the second refrigerant tube, and being spaced apart from the first evaporator module in a first direction.

[0009] An evaporator according to an example may have a flat plate shape extending along a plane perpendicular to the first direction and may include a planar heating element disposed between the first evaporator module and the second evaporator module.

[0010] An evaporator according to one example may include a voltage electrode disposed between the first evaporator module and the second evaporator module and a ground electrode disposed spaced apart from the voltage electrode with the first evaporator module or the second evaporator module interposed therebetween, and may include a sensor module that detects electrostatic capacitance between the voltage electrode and the ground electrode.

[0011] Figure 1 is a front view of a cooling device according to an example.

[0012] Figure 2 is a front view of a cooling device with an open door according to an example.

[0013] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a cooling device according to an example.

[0014] Figure 4 is a perspective view of an evaporator according to an example.

[0015] Figure 5a is an exploded perspective view of an evaporator according to an example.

[0016] Figure 5b is a block diagram of an evaporator according to an example.

[0017] Figure 6 is a front view of the first evaporator and second evaporator modules according to an example.

[0018] Fig. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a surface heating element according to an example.

[0019] Fig. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a planar heating element cut along line AA shown in Fig. 7.

[0020] Fig. 9 is a side view of an evaporator according to an example.

[0021] Figures 10a to 10c are front views of a first evaporator module according to an example.

[0022] Fig. 11 is a diagram showing measurement data of a sensor module according to an example.

[0023] Fig. 12 is a front view of a first evaporator module according to an example.

[0024] Fig. 13 is a schematic plan view of a surface heating element and a voltage electrode according to an example.

[0025] Fig. 14 is a schematic plan view of a surface heating element and a voltage electrode according to an example.

[0026] Figure 15a is a front view of the first evaporator module according to Example 1.

[0027] Figure 15b is a front view of the first evaporator module according to Example 2.

[0028] Figure 15c is probability distribution data for the number of times the electrostatic capacitance and electrostatic capacitance are measured detected by the sensor module according to an example.

[0029] Fig. 16 is a perspective view of a drain section according to an example.

[0030] Fig. 17 is a cross-sectional view of a drain section according to an example.

[0031] Fig. 18 is a schematic diagram of the first evaporator module and the second evaporator module, which is an enlarged view of the T region shown in Fig. 9.

[0032] Figure 19 is a perspective view of a bracket according to an example.

[0033] Figure 20 is a flowchart of an operation method of a cooling device according to an example.

[0034] It should be understood that the various embodiments and terms used in this document are not intended to limit the technical features described in this document to specific embodiments, but rather to include various modifications, equivalents, or substitutes of the embodiments.

[0035] In connection with the description of the drawings, similar reference numerals may be used for similar or related components.

[0036] The singular form of a noun corresponding to an item may include one or more items, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0037] In this document, each of the phrases "A or B", "at least one of A and B", "at least one of A or B", "A, B, or C", "at least one of A, B, and C", and "at least one of A, B, or C" may include any one of the items listed together in that phrase, or all possible combinations thereof.

[0038] Terms such as "first," "second," or "first" or "second" may be used simply to distinguish one component from another and do not qualify the components in any other respect (e.g., importance or order).

[0039] When a component (e.g., a first component) is referred to as being “coupled” or “connected” to another component (e.g., a second component), with or without the terms “functionally” or “communicatively,” it means that the component can be connected to the other component directly (e.g., wired), wirelessly, or through a third component.

[0040] The terms “include” or “have” are intended to specify the presence of a feature, number, step, operation, component, part or combination thereof described in this document, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts or combinations thereof.

[0041] When a component is said to be “connected,” “coupled,” “supported,” or “in contact with” another component, this includes not only cases where the components are directly connected, coupled, supported, or in contact, but also cases where the components are indirectly connected, coupled, supported, or in contact through a third component.

[0042] When we say that a component is “on” another component, this includes not only cases where the component is in contact with the other component, but also cases where there is another component between the two components.

[0043] The term “and / or” includes any combination of a plurality of related described elements or any one of a plurality of related described elements.

[0044] The operating principle and embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings below.

[0045] Fig. 1 is a front view of a cooling device according to an example. Fig. 2 is a front view of a cooling device with an open door according to an example. Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of a cooling device according to an example.

[0046] A cooling device (1) according to an example can implement a refrigeration cycle that cools a specific object or space by utilizing a refrigerant, which is a substance that changes sensitively to temperature and pressure, through a thermodynamic process that generally absorbs heat at low temperature and low pressure and releases heat at high temperature and high pressure.

[0047] According to one example, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, the cooling device (1) may be a refrigerator capable of cooling a stored material accommodated in a storage room (11). However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the cooling device (1) described in the present disclosure may include an evaporator (10) through which a refrigerant that absorbs heat from a fluid to be cooled moves, and may be any cooling device (1) in which frost can be formed on the evaporator (10) by moisture contained in air brought in from the outside, such as an air conditioner, a refrigerator, a freezer, etc. In the following, the cooling device (1) according to one example is described as being a refrigerator.

[0048] According to one example, the main body (5) can form the exterior of the cooling device (1). The main body (5) can include a storage room (11) formed by being divided vertically inside and a plurality of doors (12) for opening and closing the storage room (11).

[0049] The storage room (11) can be divided into multiple sections by partitions (15), and multiple shelves and storage containers can be arranged inside the storage room (11) to store food, etc. The storage room (11) can be divided into multiple sections by partitions (15). The partitions (15) can include a first partition (15-1) that is horizontally coupled inside the storage room (11) to divide the storage room (11) into an upper storage room (11-1) and lower storage rooms (11-2, 11-3), and a second partition (15-2) that is vertically coupled to the lower storage rooms (11-2, 11-3) to divide the lower storage rooms (11-2, 11-3).

[0050] The first compartment (15-1) and the second compartment (15-2) are combined to form a T-shaped compartment (15), which can divide the storage room (11) into three spaces. Among the upper storage room (11-1) and lower storage rooms (11-2, 11-3) divided by the first compartment (15-1), the upper storage room (11-1) can be used as a refrigerator, and the lower storage rooms (11-2, 11-3) can be used as a freezer.

[0051] The division of the storage room (11) as described above is an example, and each storage room can be used differently from the above description.

[0052] The storage room (11) can be opened and closed by a plurality of doors (12). The plurality of doors (12) can be arranged to be spaced apart from each other with a predetermined interval between them. As an example, the plurality of doors (12) can be arranged on the front of the main body (5) to open and close an opening provided in the main body (5).

[0053] The upper storage compartment (11-1) can be opened and closed by an upper door (12-1) that is rotatably coupled to the main body (5) in which the storage compartment (11) is provided. The lower storage compartments (11-2, 11-3) can be opened and closed by a lower door (12-2) that is rotatably coupled to the main body (5) in which the storage compartment (11) is provided.

[0054] A cooling chamber (30) equipped with an evaporator (10) and a blower fan (not shown) is provided on the lower side of the storage chamber (11). A storage chamber return duct (32) may be arranged on the bulkhead (31) so that air from the storage chamber (11) can be sucked in and returned to the cooling chamber (30). In addition, a cooling duct (34-1, 34-2) having a plurality of cooling air outlets (not shown) on the front side is installed on the rear side of the storage chamber (11).

[0055] The cooling device (1) according to an example is described as a bottom-type in which the refrigerator compartment is located at the top and the freezer compartment is located at the bottom, but it can also be applied to a top-type cooling device (1) in which the refrigerator compartment is located at the bottom and a side-by-side type cooling device (1) in which the freezer compartment and the refrigerator compartment are located at the left / right sides of the main body (5).

[0056] As an example, the air in the storage room (11) is sucked into the cooling room (30) through the storage room return duct (32) of the bulkhead (31) by the blower fan (not shown) of the cooling room (30), heat is exchanged with the evaporator (10), and then discharged to the storage room (11) through the cold air discharge port (not shown) of the cold air duct (34-1, 34-2), a process that is repeated. At this time, frost may be formed on the surface of the evaporator (10) due to the temperature difference with the circulating air that is re-introduced through the storage room return duct (32).

[0057] If frosting occurs on the evaporator (10), the flow rate of the circulating air re-introduced into the evaporator (10) may decrease. Accordingly, the cooling performance of the cooling device (1) may decrease, so frosting on the evaporator (10) must be removed periodically.

[0058] Fig. 4 is a perspective view of an evaporator according to an example. Fig. 5a is an exploded perspective view of an evaporator according to an example. Fig. 5b is a block diagram of an evaporator according to an example. Fig. 6 is a front view of a first evaporator and a second evaporator module according to an example. Fig. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a planar heating element according to an example. Fig. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a planar heating element taken along line AA illustrated in Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a side view of an evaporator according to an example. Figs. 10a to 10c are front views of a first evaporator module according to an example. Fig. 11 is a diagram showing measurement data of a sensor module according to an example.

[0059] Referring to FIGS. 4 to 6, an evaporator (10) according to an example may include a first evaporator module (100) and a second evaporator module (200) arranged to be spaced apart from each other along a first direction (X direction), a surface heating element (300) arranged between the first evaporator module (100) and the second evaporator module (200), a sensor module (400) for detecting the state of the frost formed on the first evaporator module (100) and the second evaporator module (200), a bracket (500) for supporting the first evaporator module (100) and the second evaporator module (200) and the surface heating element (300), and a drain portion (600) arranged at the bottom of the first evaporator module (100) and the second evaporator module (200).

[0060] In the following description, the first direction (X) means one of the directions in which the first evaporator module (100) and the second evaporator module (200) are spaced apart, for example, the thickness direction of the evaporator (10). The second direction (Z) means a direction orthogonal to the first direction (X) among the directions parallel to a plane along which the planar heating element (300) extends, for example, the length direction of the evaporator (10). The third direction (Y) means the width direction of the evaporator (10).

[0061] The first evaporator module (100) may include a first refrigerant tube (110) through which refrigerant moves and a plurality of first cooling fins (120) arranged on the outer surface of the first refrigerant tube (110). The first refrigerant tube (110) is repeatedly bent in a zigzag shape to form a plurality of steps (columns), and the interior is filled with refrigerant. As an example, the first refrigerant tube (110) may include an aluminum material, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0062] The first refrigerant tube (110) may be configured as a combination of a horizontal pipe section and a bend pipe section. The horizontal pipe sections are arranged horizontally from top to bottom to form a plurality of stages, and the horizontal pipe section of each stage is configured to penetrate a plurality of first cooling fins (120). The bend pipe section is configured to connect the ends of the upper horizontal pipe section and the ends of the lower horizontal pipe section, respectively, to mutually communicate the interiors.

[0063] The first refrigerant tube (110) is supported by passing through brackets (500) provided on each of the left and right sides of the evaporator (10). At this time, the bending pipe portion of the first refrigerant tube (110) is configured to connect the end of the upper horizontal pipe portion and the end of the lower horizontal pipe portion on the outside of the bracket (500).

[0064] A plurality of first cooling fins (120) are arranged in the first refrigerant tube (110) at a predetermined interval along the extension direction of the first refrigerant tube (110). The plurality of first cooling fins (120) may be formed as a flat plate made of aluminum, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the plurality of first cooling fins (120) may be formed as a flat plate containing any material with high thermal conductivity. The first refrigerant tube (110) may be expanded while being inserted into the insertion holes of the plurality of first cooling fins (120) and may be firmly supported by the insertion holes.

[0065] According to an example, the evaporator (10) can be implemented as a two-row structure in which the first refrigerant tube (110) and the second refrigerant tube (210) included in the second evaporator module (200) are arranged at the front and rear portions of the evaporator (10), respectively.

[0066] The second evaporator module (200) may be arranged to be spaced apart from the first evaporator module (100) in the first direction (X direction). The second evaporator module (200) may include a second refrigerant tube (210) through which refrigerant moves and a plurality of second cooling fins (220) arranged on the outer surface of the second refrigerant tube (210). The second refrigerant tube (210) is repeatedly bent in a zigzag shape to form a plurality of steps (columns), and the inside is filled with refrigerant. As an example, the second refrigerant tube (210) may include an aluminum material, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0067] The second refrigerant tube (210) may be configured as a combination of a horizontal pipe section and a bend pipe section. The horizontal pipe sections are arranged horizontally from top to bottom to form a plurality of stages, and the horizontal pipe section of each stage is configured to penetrate a plurality of second cooling fins (220). The bend pipe section is configured to connect the ends of the upper horizontal pipe section and the ends of the lower horizontal pipe section, respectively, to mutually communicate the interiors.

[0068] The second refrigerant tube (210) is supported by passing through brackets (500) provided on each of the left and right sides of the evaporator (10). At this time, the bending pipe portion of the second refrigerant tube (210) is configured to connect the end of the upper horizontal pipe portion and the end of the lower horizontal pipe portion on the outside of the bracket (500).

[0069] According to an example, in FIGS. 4 and 6, the first refrigerant tube (110) at the front and the second refrigerant tube (210) at the rear are formed in the same shape, so that the second refrigerant tube (210) is covered by the first refrigerant tube (110). However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The first refrigerant tube (110) at the front and the second refrigerant tube (210) at the rear may be formed in different shapes. In addition, the first refrigerant tube (110) at the front and the second refrigerant tube (210) at the rear are interconnected, so that the same refrigerant can move along the first refrigerant tube (110) and the second refrigerant tube (210) at the rear.

[0070] A plurality of second cooling fins (220) are arranged in the second refrigerant tube (210) at a predetermined interval along the extension direction of the second refrigerant tube (210). The plurality of second cooling fins (220) may be formed as a flat plate made of aluminum, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the plurality of second cooling fins (220) may be formed as a flat plate including any material with high thermal conductivity. The second refrigerant tube (210) may be expanded while being inserted into the insertion holes of the plurality of second cooling fins (220) and may be firmly supported by the insertion holes.

[0071] Referring to FIGS. 4 to 9, a surface heating element (300) according to an example extends along a plane (YZ plane) perpendicular to the first direction (X direction) and can be placed between the first evaporator module (100) and the second evaporator module (200).

[0072] As an example, the planar heating element (300) may have a plate shape extending along one plane (YZ plane). The planar heating element (300) may transfer heat toward the front direction (+X direction) and the rear direction (-X direction) of the extended one plane (YZ plane). Accordingly, heat may be applied to the first evaporator module (100) arranged to face the front side (301) of the planar heating element (300) and the second evaporator module (200) arranged to face the rear side (302) of the planar heating element (300).

[0073] According to an example, the surface heating element (300) is 150 o C or lower heating temperature. As described above, the surface heating element (300) may be arranged between the first evaporator module (100) and the second evaporator module (200) to face each of the first evaporator module (100) and the second evaporator module (200). Accordingly, the heat transfer path through which the heat applied from the surface heating element (300) is transferred to the first evaporator module (100) and the second evaporator module (200) may be reduced. Accordingly, the conventional heating element is arranged at the bottom of the evaporator module and may be heated to a relatively high temperature, for example, 360 o While the heating temperature of C must be provided, the surface heating element (300) according to the present example can remove the frost formed on the first evaporator module (100) and the second evaporator module (200) with a relatively low heating temperature.

[0074] As an example, the planar heater (300) can be formed by sintering a predetermined powder containing oxide powder. For example, the planar heater (300) can include one or more of CVD graphene (Chemical Vapor Deposition Graphene), graphene flake, silver nano ink (Ag nano Paste), ITO (Indium Tin Oxide), austenitic stainless steel thin plate, and palladium. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the planar heater (300) can include any heater that is a plate-shaped heater and can apply heat to the first evaporator module (100) and the second evaporator module (200) arranged on both sides.

[0075] As an example, the planar heating element (300) can generate heat by receiving electricity from a power supply unit (not shown). At this time, the power supply unit (not shown) can receive a control signal from a processor (700) to be described later and supply electricity to the planar heating element (300). Accordingly, whether the planar heating element (300) operates can be controlled by the processor (700). In addition, when a plurality of planar heating elements (300) are provided, whether each planar heating element (300) operates can be individually controlled by the processor (700). Matters related to a plurality of planar heating elements (300) will be described later with reference to FIG. 10.

[0076] The support plate (320) may be placed on one or both sides of the surface heating element (300). The support plate (320) may have a plate shape extending along a plane (YZ plane) corresponding to the surface heating element (300). As an example, the support plate (320) may be 150 oIt can have heat resistance for a heating temperature below C. In addition, as an example, the support plate (320) can include an insulating material. For example, the support plate (320) can include one or more of polyimide and polyester. When the support plate (320) includes heat resistance and insulation, it can have a relatively high resistivity at high temperatures, thereby preventing short-circuit current in the planar heating element (300) when the planar heating element (300) is driven at high output.

[0077] The support plate (320) may have a thin film shape having, for example, a thickness of 5 μm to 100 μm. If the thickness of the support plate (320) is thinner than 5 μm, it becomes difficult to secure electrical stability of the insulating properties. On the other hand, if the thickness of the support plate (320) exceeds 100 μm, cracks may occur due to differences in thermal expansion coefficients of materials included in the support plate (320) and the planar heating element (300).

[0078] The adhesive layer (330) is arranged between the surface heating element (300) and the support plate (320) to attach the surface heating element (300) to the support plate (320). As an example, since the adhesive layer (330) can also receive heat applied from the surface heating element (300), the adhesive material included in the adhesive layer (330) is 150 o It can have heat resistance for a heating temperature below C. For example, the adhesive material included in the adhesive layer (330) may include at least one of a silicone-based adhesive material or an acrylic-based adhesive material.

[0079] The substrate layer (350) is a support layer for supporting the shape of the planar heating element (300) and the support plate (320). As described above, the planar heating element (300) and the support plate (320) may have a thin film shape, so when the combination of the planar heating element (300) and the support plate (320) is aligned between the first evaporator module (100) and the second evaporator module (200), unintended bending may occur, resulting in misalignment. According to an example, the substrate layer (350) may support the combination of the planar heating element (300) and the support plate (320) so that it has a flat plate shape.

[0080] As an example, the substrate layer (350) may have a predetermined thickness to maintain the flat shape of the planar heating element (300) and the support plate (320). For example, the substrate layer (350) may have a thickness of, for example, 5 μm to 100 μm. The substrate layer (350) may have a plate shape extending along one plane (YZ plane) corresponding to the planar heating element (300). At this time, the substrate layer (350) may be arranged to face one surface of the planar heating element (300). As an example, the substrate layer (350) may have a thickness of 150 o It can have heat resistance for a heating temperature below C. In addition, as an example, the substrate layer (350) may include an insulating material.

[0081] A sensor module (400) according to an example includes a voltage electrode (410) and a ground electrode (420) and can detect an electrostatic capacitance (C) between the voltage electrode (410) and the ground electrode (420). As an example, the electrostatic capacitance (C) between the voltage electrode (410) and the ground electrode (420) can be determined according to the following equation (1).

[0082] Capacitance (C) = E 0 ㆍ E mㆍ S / d equation (1)

[0083] (E 0: Vacuum dielectric constant, E m: The permeability constant of the material placed between the voltage electrode (410) and the ground electrode (420), d: the distance between the voltage electrode (410) and the ground electrode (420), S: the area of ​​the voltage electrode (410) and the ground electrode (420)

[0084] For example, when a voltage electrode (410) and a ground electrode (420) having a fixed area are placed at a fixed position, the electrostatic capacitance (C) can change depending on the dielectric constant of the material placed between the voltage electrode (410) and the ground electrode (420). Therefore, when a change in the electrostatic capacitance (C) is detected, it can be confirmed that the material placed between the voltage electrode (410) and the ground electrode (420) has changed.

[0085] According to one example, as illustrated in FIG. 10a, in the initial state in which the cooling device (1) is not in operation or in the first state in which the frost has been completely formed, air may be placed on the surfaces of the evaporator (10), for example, the first evaporator module (100) and the second evaporator module (200). In addition, as described above with reference to FIG. 3, in the second state in which a temperature difference occurs with respect to the circulating air re-introduced through the storage room return duct (32), frost may be formed on the surfaces of the evaporator (10), for example, the first evaporator module (100) and the second evaporator module (200), as illustrated in FIG. 10b. In addition, by operating the surface heating element (300), water can be placed on the surface of the evaporator (10), for example, the first evaporator module (100) and the second evaporator module (200), in a third state where the frost attached to the surface of the evaporator (10) melts, as shown in FIG. 10c.

[0086] In the first state, the dielectric constant of the air disposed on the surfaces of the first evaporator module (100) and the second evaporator module (200) is 1. In the second state, the dielectric constant of the frost disposed on the surfaces of the first evaporator module (100) and the second evaporator module (200) is 3 to 4. In the third state, the dielectric constant of the water disposed on the surfaces of the first evaporator module (100) and the second evaporator module (200) is 80. Therefore, when the materials disposed on the surfaces of the first evaporator module (100) and the second evaporator module (200) are different as in the first to third states, the electrostatic capacitance (C) detected by the sensor module (400) in the first to third states may also be different.

[0087] According to one example, the voltage electrode (410) included in the sensor module (400) may be placed between the first evaporator module (100) and the second evaporator module (200). At this time, the ground electrode (420) may be placed so as to be spaced apart from the voltage electrode (410) with either the first evaporator module (100) or the second evaporator module (200) interposed therebetween.

[0088] As an example, the voltage electrode (410) may have a plate shape extending along one plane (YZ plane). The voltage electrode (410) according to an example may be formed of a conductive material, for example, CVD graphene (Chemical Vapor Deposition Graphene), graphene flake, silver nano ink (Ag nano paste), ITO (Indium Tin Oxide), austenitic stainless steel thin plate, palladium, or copper (Cu). However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the voltage electrode (410) may also be implemented in a plate shape including different conductive materials.

[0089] In addition, according to one example, the voltage electrode (410) may be arranged to face the surface heating element (300). An insulating layer (370) may be arranged between the surface heating element (300) and the voltage electrode (410). At this time, an adhesive layer (330) may be arranged between the voltage electrode (410) and the insulating layer (370) to adhere the voltage electrode (410) and the insulating layer (370). The insulating layer (370) according to one example may be substantially the same as the support plate (320). However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the insulating layer (370) may include any material having insulating properties and heat resistance.

[0090] According to one example, the voltage electrode (410) may be positioned to be supported on the substrate layer (350) and fixed to a bracket (500) to be described later. In addition, the voltage electrode (410) may include a metal material having a small coefficient of thermal expansion that expands due to heat applied by the surface heating element (300). Accordingly, the relative position between the voltage electrode (410) and the first evaporator module (100) and the second evaporator module (200) may be fixed, and the area of ​​the voltage electrode (410) may also be maintained constant.

[0091] The ground electrode (420) may be supported by a position-fixing support member, for example, a harness (H), and may be positioned so as to be spaced apart from the voltage electrode (410) with either the first evaporator module (100) or the second evaporator module (200) interposed therebetween. Accordingly, the voltage electrode (410) and the ground electrode (420) may maintain a constant separation distance with either the first evaporator module (100) or the second evaporator module (200) interposed therebetween.

[0092] According to an example, since the voltage electrode (410) and the ground electrode (420) can be arranged to be spaced apart from each other by a certain distance, the sensor module (400) can detect the electrostatic capacitance (C) between the voltage electrode (410) and the ground electrode (420). At this time, the state of one of the first evaporator module (100) and the second evaporator module (200) arranged between the voltage electrode (410) and the ground electrode (420) can change depending on the operation of the cooling device (1). For example, as described above, the electrostatic capacitance can be different in a first state in which air is arranged on the surfaces of the first evaporator module (100) and the second evaporator module (200), a second state in which frost is arranged on the surfaces of the first evaporator module (100) and the second evaporator module (200), and a third state in which water is arranged on the surfaces of the first evaporator module (100) and the second evaporator module (200). Accordingly, the sensor module (400) can measure the electrostatic capacitance (C) between the voltage electrode (410) and the ground electrode (420) in real time or at predetermined time intervals. The processor (700) can use the change data of the electrostatic capacitance (C) received from the sensor module (400) to check the surface condition of the first evaporator module (100) and the second evaporator module (200) placed between the voltage electrode (410) and the ground electrode (420).

[0093] In Fig. 11, the X-axis represents the reference electrostatic capacitance (C ref) is a relative value of the measured capacitance (C), and the Y-axis represents time. Referring to FIG. 11, the first capacitance (C1) can be detected by the sensor module (400) in a second state as shown in FIG. 10b, where frost is disposed on the surfaces of the first evaporator module (100) and the second evaporator module (200). Thereafter, as the frost changes into water through the defrosting process, the second capacitance (C2) can be detected by the sensor module (400) in a third state, where water is disposed on the surfaces of the first evaporator module (100) and the second evaporator module (200). After the defrosting process is completed, the third capacitance (C3) can be detected by the sensor module (400) in the first state, where air is disposed on the surfaces of the first evaporator module (100) and the second evaporator module (200). As described above, since the dielectric constants of water and air may be different, the first to third electrostatic capacitances (C1-C3) detected in the first to third states may be different. Therefore, the surface states of the first evaporator module (100) and the second evaporator module (200) can be confirmed using the electrostatic capacitance data detected by the sensor module (400).

[0094] The processor (700) can control the operation of the planar heating element (300) according to the surface state of the first evaporator module (100) and the second evaporator module (200) detected by the sensor module (400), for example, the state of the first cooling fin (120) and the second cooling fin (220). Hereinafter, the technical features of controlling the operation of the planar heating element (300) according to the surface state of the first evaporator module (100) and the second evaporator module (200) and the planar heating element (300) implemented in multiple units and the sensor module (400) having multiple channels will be described.

[0095] Fig. 12 is a front view of a first evaporator module according to an example. Fig. 13 is a schematic plan view of a surface heating element and a voltage electrode according to an example. Fig. 14 is a schematic plan view of a surface heating element and a voltage electrode according to an example.

[0096] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 12, as described above, air in the storage room (11) is sucked into the cooling room (30) through the storage room return duct (32) of the bulkhead (31) by the blower fan (not shown) of the cooling room (30), heat exchanges with the evaporator (10), and is discharged back into the storage room (11) through the cold air discharge port (not shown) of the cold air duct (34-1, 34-2), a process in which this process is repeated. At this time, frost may be formed on the surface of the evaporator (10) due to the temperature difference with the circulating air that is re-introduced through the storage room return duct (32).

[0097] According to one example, the circulating air re-introduced through the storage room return duct (32) may rise along the second direction (Z direction) and come into contact with the surface of the evaporator (10), for example, the first cooling fin (120) of the first evaporator module (100) or the second cooling fin (220) of the second evaporator module (200). Accordingly, the frost formed on the lower region along the second direction (Z direction) that first comes into contact with the circulating air re-introduced through the storage room return duct (32) among the surfaces of the first cooling fin (120) or the second cooling fin (220) may be greater than the frost formed on the upper region.

[0098] Depending on the direction of inflow of circulating air into the evaporator (10), the degree of frost formation in each area of ​​the evaporator (10) may differ. Therefore, a surface heating element (300) and a sensor module (400) capable of individually detecting the degree of frost formation by segmenting the areas of the evaporator (10) and individually applying heat to each area according to the detected degree of frost formation may be provided.

[0099] Referring to FIGS. 12 and 13, a plurality of voltage electrodes (410) according to an example may be provided. As an example, the plurality of voltage electrodes (410) may be provided to have a predetermined width and may be arranged to be spaced apart from each other with a predetermined interval in one direction. For example, the plurality of voltage electrodes (410) may include a first voltage electrode (411) and a second voltage electrode (412) arranged to be spaced apart from each other in a second direction (Z direction). In this case, the first voltage electrode (411) and the second voltage electrode (412) may have a width of 5 mm or more in the second direction (Z direction).

[0100] According to an example, since the plurality of voltage electrodes (410) include a first voltage electrode (411) and a second voltage electrode (412), the sensor module (400) can be implemented in a multi-channel mode in which the first voltage electrode (411) and the ground electrode (420) form a first channel and the second voltage electrode (412) and the ground electrode (420) form a second channel. Since the sensor module (400) is implemented in a multi-channel mode, the sensor module (400) can simultaneously detect the frost state in the upper region and the lower region along the second direction (Z direction) of the first evaporator module (100) or the second evaporator module (200). In the above-described example, the plurality of voltage electrodes (410) are arranged to be spaced apart along the second direction (Z direction), but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. A plurality of voltage electrodes (410) may be implemented in multiple numbers and arranged to be spaced apart from each other along the second direction (Z direction) or the third direction (Y direction).

[0101] According to an example, a plurality of planar heating elements (300) may be provided. For example, a plurality of planar heating elements (300) may be provided with a predetermined width and may be arranged to be spaced apart from each other in one direction at a predetermined interval. Each of the plurality of planar heating elements (300) according to an example may have a different heat generation density. In addition, the operation of each of the plurality of planar heating elements (300) may be individually controlled.

[0102] As an example, the plurality of planar heating elements (300) may include a first planar heating element (300-1) and a second planar heating element (300-2) arranged to be spaced apart from each other along a second direction (Z direction). At this time, the first planar heating element (300-1) and the second planar heating element (300-2) may each be set to have different heat generation densities. In addition, the operation of each of the first planar heating element (300-1) and the second planar heating element (300-2) may be individually controlled.

[0103] According to an example, the first surface heating element (300-1) and the second surface heating element (300-2) may be arranged to be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance in the second direction (Z direction). Since the individually controlled first surface heating element (300-1) and the second surface heating element (300-2) are arranged to be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance in the second direction (Z direction), heat can be independently applied to the upper region and the lower region along the second direction (Z direction) of the first evaporator module (100) or the second evaporator module (200). As an example, when frost first occurs in the lower region along the second direction (Z direction) of the first evaporator module (100) or the second evaporator module (200), the second surface heating element (300-2) can be operated first. In addition, as an example, when more frost is formed in the lower region along the second direction (Z direction) of the first evaporator module (100) or the second evaporator module (200), the heat generation density of the second surface heating element (300-2) can be set higher than the heat generation density of the first surface heating element (300-1). In the above-described example, a plurality of surface heating elements (300) are arranged to be spaced apart from each other along the second direction (Z direction), but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The plurality of surface heating elements (300) may be implemented in multiple units and arranged to be spaced apart from each other along the second direction (Z direction) or the third direction (Y direction).

[0104] In the above-described example, the multi-channel sensor module (400) is described as having two channels and the plurality of planar heating elements (300) are described as having two planar heating elements (300-1, 300-2), but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The number of channels of the sensor module (400) and the number of planar heating elements (300) may be determined differently depending on the degree of frost formation in the area of ​​the first evaporator module (100) or the second evaporator module (200).

[0105] For example, as illustrated in FIG. 14, a plurality of voltage electrodes (410) may be provided as four voltage electrodes (411-414), and a plurality of planar heating elements (300) or four planar heating elements (300-1 to 300-4) may be provided. Accordingly, not only can the degree of frost formation in four areas of the first evaporator module (100) or the second evaporator module (200) be individually detected, but also the heat applied to the four areas can be individually controlled using the plurality of planar heating elements (300).

[0106] Fig. 15a is a front view of the first evaporator module according to Example 1. Fig. 15b is a front view of the first evaporator module according to Example 2. Fig. 15c is probability distribution data for the number of electrostatic capacitances detected by the sensor module and the number of electrostatic capacitance measurements according to an example.

[0107] Referring again to FIG. 12, when frost is formed and grows on the first cooling fin (120) provided in the first evaporator module (100), the flow path of the fluid to be cooled flowing between the first cooling fins (120) may be blocked. When the flow path of the fluid to be cooled flowing between the first cooling fins (120) is blocked, the cooling performance of the evaporator (10) for cooling the fluid to be cooled may be reduced.

[0108] In order to detect the degree of frost formation on the first evaporator module (100), as Experimental Example 1, a cubic ice having a relatively small width, length, and height of 50 mm was placed on the top of the first evaporator module (100) as shown in Fig. 15a. In addition, as Experimental Example 2, a cubic ice having a relatively large width, length, and height of 150 mm was placed on the top of the first evaporator module (100) as shown in Fig. 15b, and then the electrostatic capacitance (C) between the first voltage electrode (411) and the ground electrode (420) was measured multiple times.

[0109] In Fig. 15c, the X-axis represents the electrostatic capacity (C) of the comparative example in which air is placed. ref ) means the measured electrostatic capacity (C), and the Y-axis means the relative frequency of occurrence for which the data of the X-axis was confirmed. Referring to FIG. 15c, it can be confirmed that the measured electrostatic capacity (C) increases as the size of the ice increases in the comparative example in which only air was placed between the first voltage electrode (411) and the ground electrode (420), the experimental example 1 in which relatively small ice was placed, and the experimental example 2 in which relatively large ice was placed. In addition, it is possible to confirm the electrostatic capacity data of a probability distribution that can be distinguished from each other in the comparative example 1, the experimental example 1, and the experimental example 2. Therefore, when the electrostatic capacity is detected multiple times using the sensor module (400), the degree of frost formation on the first evaporator module (100) or the second evaporator module (200) can be confirmed by comparing it with the data of the probability distribution confirmed in advance.

[0110] Since the degree of frost formation on the first evaporator module (100) or the second evaporator module (200) can be confirmed using the sensor module (400), the operating timing for operating the surface heating element (300) can be controlled according to the degree of frost formation. As an example, the processor (700) can control the operating timing of the surface heating element (300) according to the state of frost formation on the first cooling fin (120) provided in the first evaporator module (100) or the second cooling fin (220) provided in the second evaporator module (200) detected by the sensor module (400).

[0111] For example, when frost is formed and grows on the first cooling fin (120) provided in the first evaporator module (100), the flow path of the fluid to be cooled flowing between the first cooling fins (120) may be blocked. When the flow rate of the fluid to be cooled flowing between the first cooling fins (120) at a time when frost is not formed is set to the first flow rate, and when the flow rate of the fluid to be cooled flowing between the first cooling fins (120) at a time when frost is formed is set to the second flow rate, the frost formation state can be confirmed at a time when the second flow rate with respect to the first flow rate is reduced to 50% or less.

[0112] The processor (700) can control the operation of the surface heating element (300) according to the state of frost on the first cooling fin (120) or the second cooling fin (220) detected by the sensor module (400). For example, the processor (700) can apply a control signal to operate the surface heating element (300) when the sensor module (400) detects the degree of frost on the surface where the flow rate of the cooling target fluid flowing between the first cooling fin (120) or the second cooling fin (220) is reduced to 50% or less.

[0113] Although the above-described example describes a technical feature of controlling the operating timing of the planar heating element (300) based on the flow rate of the fluid to be cooled, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The processor (700) can control the operating status of the planar heating element (300) differently depending on the state of the frost attached to the first cooling fin (120) or the second cooling fin (220) detected by the sensor module (400) or the state of the frost removed from the first cooling fin (120) or the second cooling fin (220).

[0114] Fig. 16 is a perspective view of a drain section according to an example. Fig. 17 is a cross-sectional view of a drain section according to an example.

[0115] Referring to FIGS. 16 and 17, a drain unit (600) according to an example may include a receiving case (610) that receives the water and the steam that has escaped from the first evaporator module (100) and the second evaporator module (200), a drain hole (620) for moving the water received in the receiving case (610) to a pipe (630), a pipe (630), and a heating unit (640).

[0116] As an example, the receiving case (610) may be placed below the first evaporator module (100) and the second evaporator module (200) along a second direction (Z) perpendicular to the first direction (X), for example, the direction of gravity. Accordingly, the frost and water that have escaped from the first evaporator module (100) and the second evaporator module (200) through the defrosting process may be received in the receiving case (610) by gravity.

[0117] As an example, the receiving case (610) may have any shape of a receiving member capable of receiving water or ice. At this time, the upper portion of the receiving case (610) may be provided in an open shape to allow ice or water to flow in. According to an example, the receiving case (610) may include an inclined portion formed with a predetermined drain hole (620) as the lowest point so that the received water can easily collect into the drain hole (620) described later.

[0118] The drain hole (620) is an opening having a predetermined diameter for discharging water contained in the receiving case (610) to the outside. According to an example, the drain hole (620) may be connected to a pipe (630) whose other end is arranged to communicate with the outside so as to be in fluid communication with the other end. Accordingly, water contained in the receiving case (610) may pass through the drain hole (620) and be discharged to the outside through the pipe (630).

[0119] As described above, the drain hole (620) can discharge water contained in the receiving case (610) to the outside. However, the receiving case (610) can also contain not only water but also solid water. If the water contained in the receiving case (610) blocks the drain hole (620), the water cannot move to the pipe (630), and thus the water may overflow the receiving case (610) and move to the outside.

[0120] The heating unit (640) is a heating device that can apply heat to the surrounding area of ​​the drain hole (620) to prevent the drain hole (620) from being blocked by the castle. As an example, the heating unit (640) may include a heating resin connected to an external power source. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the heating unit (640) may be replaced with any heating device that can apply heat to the surrounding area of ​​the drain hole (620).

[0121] In addition, the placement area of ​​the heating unit (640) according to one example may be limited to a peripheral area adjacent to the drain hole (620) in the receiving case (610). Accordingly, the phenomenon of the drain hole (620) being blocked by the melting of the resin placed in the peripheral area adjacent to the drain hole (620) can be prevented. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the heating unit (640) may of course be placed in the entire area of ​​the receiving case (610).

[0122] Fig. 18 is a schematic diagram of the first evaporator module and the second evaporator module, which is an enlarged view of the T region shown in Fig. 9. Fig. 19 is a perspective view of a bracket according to an example.

[0123] Referring to FIGS. 18 and 19, a bracket (500) according to an example can support a first evaporator module (100), a second evaporator module (200), and a planar heating element (300) from the side. As an example, the first evaporator module (100) and the second evaporator module (200) can be arranged to be spaced apart from each other along a first direction (X), and a planar heating element (300) can be arranged between the first evaporator module (100) and the second evaporator module (200). The bracket (500) is a support member that can support the first evaporator module (100), the second evaporator module (200), and the planar heating element (300) while fixing the relative positions of the first evaporator module (100), the second evaporator module (200), and the planar heating element (300).

[0124] As an example, the bracket (500) may be provided with a first support portion (510) and a second support portion (520) arranged on both sides of the first evaporator module (100) and the second evaporator module (200). Tube holes (511, 521) may be arranged in the first support portion (510) and the second support portion (520) into which a first refrigerant tube (110) provided in the first evaporator module (100) and a second refrigerant tube (210) provided in the second evaporator module (200) may be inserted and supported.

[0125] In addition, fixing holes (512, 522) for supporting the planar heating element (300) may be arranged in the first support member (510) and the second support member (520). In addition, discharge ports (513, 523) for exposing a part of the planar heating element (300) to the outside may be arranged in the first support member (510) and the second support member (520). According to an example, a connection part for connecting the planar heating element (300) and an externally arranged power supply unit (not shown) may be arranged in the discharge ports (513, 523). At this time, a thermostat or a fuse may be arranged in the connection part as a protection device for protecting the planar heating element (300) from overheating or overcurrent.

[0126] According to an example, the first support part (510) and the second support part (520) may be provided as a separate structure. For example, the first support part (510) may include a 1-1 support part (510-1) for supporting one side of the first evaporator module (100) and a 2-1 support part (520-1) for supporting one side of the second evaporator module (200). The first support part (510) may be formed by the combination of the 1-1 support part (510-1) and the 2-1 support part (520-1). At this time, the combination of the 1-1 support part (510-1) and the 2-1 support part (520-1) may be performed by separate fastening devices disposed at the upper and lower ends. For example, the fastening devices may be a hook fastening part or a rivet fastening part, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0127] Additionally, the second support (520) may include a first-second support (510-2) for supporting the other side of the first evaporator module (100) and a second-second support (520-2) for supporting the other side of the second evaporator module (200). The details of forming the second support (520) by combining the first-second support (510-2) and the second-second support (520-2) are substantially the same as those of the first support (510), and therefore, description thereof is omitted herein.

[0128] Figure 20 is a flowchart of an operation method of a cooling device according to an example.

[0129] Referring to FIG. 20, the state of the frost attached to the first cooling fin (120) and the second cooling fin (220) can be detected. (S110) The sensor module (400) can detect the state of the frost attached to the first cooling fin (120) included in the first evaporator module (100) and the second cooling fin (220) included in the second evaporator module (200). As an example, the sensor module (400) can detect the state of the frost attached to the first cooling fin (120) and the second cooling fin (220), for example, the state of frost attached as shown in FIG. 10a, the state of air being placed because frost is not attached as shown in FIG. 10b, or the state of water being placed in the process of melting the attached frost as shown in FIG. 10c.

[0130] In addition, the sensor module (400) according to one example can detect the state of the frost attached to the first cooling fin (120) and the second cooling fin (220), for example, the degree of frost attachment. As an example, the sensor module (400) can detect the degree of frost attachment to the first cooling fin (120) and the second cooling fin (220).

[0131] Next, the surface heating element (300) can be operated depending on the state of the frost attached to the detected first cooling fin (120) and second cooling fin (220). (S120) The processor (700) can check the amount of change in the flow rate of the fluid to be cooled flowing between the first cooling fin (120) and the second cooling fin (220) depending on the degree of frost attached to the detected first cooling fin (120) and second cooling fin (220). The processor (700) can determine whether to operate the surface heating element (300) depending on the amount of change in the flow rate of the fluid to be cooled flowing between the first cooling fin (120) and the second cooling fin (220) in order to prevent a decrease in the cooling performance of the cooling device (1).

[0132] As an example, the processor (700) may determine that the flow rate of the fluid to be cooled flowing between the first cooling fin (120) and the second cooling fin (220) has decreased to 50% or less due to frost formation on the first cooling fin (120) and the second cooling fin (220). At this time, the processor (700) may determine the operation of the surface heating element (300) to prevent a decrease in the cooling performance of the cooling device (1).

[0133] Next, the removal status of the frost attached to the first cooling fin (120) and the second cooling fin (220) can be detected. (S130) As the surface heating element (300) operates, the frost attached to the first cooling fin (120) and the second cooling fin (220) can be melted and removed. The sensor module (400) can detect the electrostatic capacity in real time or at predetermined time intervals, and detect the state in which the frost placed between the first cooling fin (120) and the second cooling fin (220) is melted and removed with water.

[0134] Next, the operation of the surface heating element (300) can be stopped depending on the removal state of the frost attached to the detected first cooling fin (120) and second cooling fin (220). (S140) The sensor module (400) can detect the electrostatic capacity in real time or at a predetermined time interval to confirm that the final removal state in which air is disposed between the first cooling fin (120) and the second cooling fin (220) has been reached. As an example, the sensor module (400) can detect the final removal state in which air is disposed between the first cooling fin (120) and the second cooling fin (220) by melting the frost disposed between the first cooling fin (120) and the second cooling fin (220) and removing the melted water by gravity to the drain part (600).

[0135] The processor (700) can stop the operation of the surface heating element (300) when the final removal state in which air is placed between the first cooling fin (120) and the second cooling fin (220) is detected.

[0136] The above examples are merely illustrative, and those skilled in the art will readily appreciate various modifications and equivalent alternative embodiments. Therefore, the true scope of technical protection of the present invention should be determined by the technical spirit of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

[0137] One aspect of the present disclosure provides a cooling device that detects the state of a frost formed on an evaporator provided in the cooling device and operates a surface heating element according to the state of the frost formed.

[0138] One aspect of the present disclosure provides a multi-channel sensor module for detecting a plurality of areas, and a cooling device having a plurality of surface heating elements arranged to individually apply heat to each area detected by the sensor module.

[0139] One aspect of the present disclosure provides a cooling device that can improve energy efficiency by not operating a surface heating element at unnecessary times and locations.

[0140] One aspect of the present disclosure provides a cooling device capable of improving heating efficiency by placing a surface heating element at a location where cooling is required.

[0141] One aspect of the present disclosure provides a cooling device capable of efficiently discharging to the outside the water and steam that escapes during the freezing process.

[0142] The technical problems to be achieved in this document are not limited to the technical problems mentioned above, and other technical problems not mentioned can be clearly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the technical field to which the present disclosure belongs from the description below.

[0143] A cooling device according to one example is a cooling device including an evaporator through which a refrigerant that absorbs heat from a fluid to be cooled moves, the evaporator comprising: a first evaporator module having a first refrigerant tube through which the refrigerant moves and a plurality of first cooling fins arranged on an outer surface of the first refrigerant tube; a second evaporator module having a second refrigerant tube through which the refrigerant moves and a plurality of second cooling fins arranged on an outer surface of the second refrigerant tube, the second evaporator module being spaced apart from the first evaporator module in a first direction; a flat plate-shaped heating element arranged between the first evaporator module and the second evaporator module; a voltage electrode arranged between the first evaporator module and the second evaporator module; and a ground electrode arranged through which the first evaporator module or the second evaporator module is spaced apart from the voltage electrode, and a sensor module detecting an electrostatic capacitance between the voltage electrode and the ground electrode.

[0144] According to one example of the present disclosure, by detecting the state of the frost formed on the evaporator provided in the cooling device and operating the surface heating element according to the state of the frost formed, energy efficiency can be improved by not operating the surface heating element at an unnecessary time.

[0145] The voltage electrode has a flat plate shape extending along a plane perpendicular to the first direction, and may be positioned to face the planar heating element. According to one example of the present disclosure, a voltage electrode included in a sensor module may be positioned to face the planar heating element, thereby providing a cooling device with improved space efficiency.

[0146] The voltage electrode is one of a plurality of voltage electrodes included in the sensor module, the sensor module is provided as a multi-channel, each of the multi-channels includes the plurality of voltage electrodes, and the plurality of voltage electrodes can be arranged to be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined interval along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

[0147] Each of the plurality of voltage electrodes may have a width of 5 mm or more along the second direction.

[0148] According to one example of the present disclosure, the sensor module is provided as a multi-channel having a plurality of voltage electrodes, thereby enabling detection of the state of frost formation in a detailed area of ​​the evaporator.

[0149] The above-mentioned planar heating element is one of a plurality of planar heating elements included in the evaporator, and at least two of the plurality of planar heating elements have different heating densities, and the operation of each of the plurality of planar heating elements can be individually controlled.

[0150] According to one example of the present disclosure, a cooling device is provided in which a plurality of surface heating elements are provided, thereby individually applying heat to each area detected by a sensor module and improving energy efficiency by not applying heat to unnecessary locations.

[0151] It further includes a processor for controlling the operation of the surface heating element, wherein the processor can control the operation of the surface heating element according to the state of the first cooling fin and the second cooling fin detected by the sensor module.

[0152] When the flow rate of the cooling target fluid flowing between the first cooling fin and the second cooling fin is reduced to 50% or less according to the state of the first cooling fin and the second cooling fin detected by the sensor module, the processor can apply a control signal to operate the surface heating element.

[0153] According to one example of the present disclosure, the state of frost formed on an evaporator provided in a cooling device can be detected, and a surface heating element can be operated according to the state of the frost formed, thereby improving cooling efficiency and preventing unnecessary energy consumption.

[0154] The above evaporator is placed between the voltage electrode and the surface heating element, and 150 o It may further include a support plate and an adhesive layer having heat resistance for a heating temperature of C or lower.

[0155] The above support plate may include an insulating material.

[0156] According to one example of the present disclosure, a cooling device can be provided that can improve heating efficiency and maintain a heating temperature at an appropriate temperature by placing a surface heating element at a location where heating is required.

[0157] The invention may further include a drain section, which is disposed at the lower portion of the first evaporator module and the second evaporator module along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and has a receiving case for receiving the water and the steam that have escaped from the first evaporator module and the second evaporator module.

[0158] The drain unit may further include a drain hole for moving the frost and water that have escaped from the first evaporator module and the second evaporator module to the outside of the evaporator, and a heating unit for applying heat to an area around the drain hole to melt the frost.

[0159] According to one example of the present disclosure, a cooling device capable of efficiently discharging to the outside the water and the steam that escaped during the freezing process can be provided.

[0160] The first evaporator module and the second evaporator module may be arranged to be spaced apart from each other along the first direction, and a bracket may be further included to support the first evaporator module, the second evaporator module, and the surface heating element from the side.

[0161] A method of operating a cooling device according to one aspect may include a step of detecting a state of frost attached to the first cooling fin and the second cooling fin, a step of operating the surface heating element according to the detected state of frost attached to the first cooling fin and the second cooling fin, a step of detecting a removal state of frost attached to the first cooling fin and the second cooling fin, and a step of stopping the operation of the surface heating element according to the detected state of frost attached to the first cooling fin and the second cooling fin.

[0162] According to one example of the present disclosure, the state of frost formed on an evaporator provided in a cooling device can be detected, and a surface heating element can be operated according to the state of the frost formed, thereby improving cooling efficiency and preventing unnecessary energy consumption.

[0163] When the flow rate of the cooling target fluid flowing between the first cooling fin and the second cooling fin is reduced to 50% or less according to the state of the first cooling fin and the second cooling fin detected by the sensor module, the operation of the surface heating element may start.

[0164] According to one example of the present disclosure, the state of frost formed on an evaporator provided in a cooling device can be detected, and a surface heating element can be operated according to the state of the frost formed, thereby improving cooling efficiency and preventing unnecessary energy consumption.

[0165] The above-mentioned planar heating element is one of a plurality of planar heating elements included in the evaporator, and the plurality of planar heating elements are arranged to be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined interval along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, at least two of the plurality of planar heating elements have different heating densities, and the operation of each of the plurality of planar heating elements can be individually controlled.

[0166] According to one example of the present disclosure, since a plurality of surface heating elements are provided, heat can be individually applied to each area detected by the sensor module, and energy efficiency can be improved by not applying heat to unnecessary locations.

[0167] The effects that can be obtained from the present disclosure are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects that are not mentioned can be clearly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure belongs from the description below.

Claims

1. A cooling device (1) including an evaporator through which a refrigerant moves to absorb heat from a fluid to be cooled, The above evaporator (10) is A first evaporator module (100) having a first refrigerant tube (110) through which refrigerant moves and a plurality of first cooling fins (120) arranged on an outer surface of the first refrigerant tube; A second evaporator module (200) having a second refrigerant tube (210) through which refrigerant moves and a plurality of second cooling fins (220) arranged on an outer surface of the second refrigerant tube, and arranged to be spaced apart from the first evaporator module in a first direction; A flat heating element (300) having a flat shape extending along a plane perpendicular to the first direction and arranged between the first evaporator module and the second evaporator module; and A sensor module (400) comprising a voltage electrode arranged between the first evaporator module and the second evaporator module and a ground electrode (420) arranged to be spaced apart from the voltage electrode (410) with the first evaporator module or the second evaporator module interposed therebetween, and detecting electrostatic capacity between the voltage electrode and the ground electrode; Cooling device.

2. In paragraph 1, The above voltage electrode (410) has a flat plate shape extending along a plane perpendicular to the first direction and is positioned to face the surface heating element (300). Cooling device.

3. In paragraph 2, The above voltage electrode is one of a plurality of voltage electrodes (410) included in the sensor module, The above sensor module (400) is provided with multiple channels, and each of the multiple channels includes the plurality of voltage electrodes. The above plurality of voltage electrodes are arranged so as to be spaced apart at a predetermined interval along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. Cooling device.

4. In paragraph 3, Each of the above plurality of voltage electrodes (410) has a width of 5 mm or more along the second direction. Cooling device.

5. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 4, The above surface heating element (300) is one of a plurality of surface heating elements included in the above evaporator. At least two of the above multiple planar heating elements have different heating densities, and the operation of each of the above multiple planar heating elements is individually controlled. Cooling device.

6. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 5, It further includes a processor (700) that controls the operation of the above surface heating element; The above processor, Controlling the operation of the surface heating element according to the state of the temperature of the first cooling fin (120) and the second cooling fin (220) detected by the sensor module. Cooling device.

7. In paragraph 6, When the flow rate of the cooling target fluid flowing between the first cooling fin and the second cooling fin is reduced to 50% or less according to the state of the first cooling fin (120) and the second cooling fin (220) detected by the sensor module (400), The above processor (700) applies a control signal to the surface heating element (300) to operate. Cooling device.

8. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 7, The above evaporator is placed between the voltage electrode (410) and the surface heating element (300), and 150 o Further comprising a support plate (320) and an adhesive layer (330) having heat resistance for a heating temperature of C or lower. Cooling device.

9. In paragraph 8, The above support plate (320) includes an insulating material. Cooling device.

10. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 9, A drain part (600) is further provided, which is arranged at the bottom of the first evaporator module and the second evaporator module along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and has a receiving case for receiving the water and steam that have escaped from the first evaporator module and the second evaporator module. Cooling device.

11. In Article 10, The above drain part A drain hole (620) for moving the water and steam that has escaped from the first evaporator module and the second evaporator module to the outside of the evaporator; and It further includes a heating part (640) that melts the above-mentioned resin by applying heat to the area around the above-mentioned drain hole. Cooling device.

12. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 11, The first evaporator module and the second evaporator module are arranged to be spaced apart along the first direction, and further comprising a bracket (500) that supports the first evaporator module, the second evaporator module, and the surface heating element from the side; Cooling device.

13. A method of operating a cooling device according to any one of clauses 1 to 12, A step of detecting the state of the first cooling fin (120) and the second cooling fin (220) attached to the first cooling fin (120); A step of operating the surface heating element (300) according to the state of the temperature sensor mounted on the first cooling fin and the second cooling fin detected above; A step of detecting a removal state of the star attached to the first cooling fin and the second cooling fin; and A step of stopping the operation of the surface heating element according to the removal status of the first cooling fin and the second cooling fin detected; How the cooling device works.

14. In paragraph 13, When the flow rate of the cooling target fluid flowing between the first cooling fin and the second cooling fin is reduced to 50% or less according to the state of the first cooling fin (120) and the second cooling fin (220) detected by the sensor module (400), the operation of the surface heating element starts. How the cooling device works.

15. In paragraph 13 or 14, The above surface heating element (300) is one of a plurality of surface heating elements included in the above evaporator. The above-mentioned plurality of surface heating elements are arranged so as to be spaced apart at a predetermined interval along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, At least two of the above multiple planar heating elements have different heating densities, and the operation of each of the above multiple planar heating elements is individually controlled. How the cooling device works.

Images