Refrigerator and control method thereof

Abstract

A control method includes determining whether to perform a defrosting operation of an evaporator, closing a valve to prevent refrigerant from moving into the evaporator if implementation of the defrosting operation is determined, performing a refrigerant collecting operation, and opening the valve upon completion of the defrosting operation. Intercepting a flow path of the refrigerant to prevent the refrigerant from moving into the evaporator during defrosting prevents explosion due to leakage of the refrigerant.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 2010-0074683, filed on Aug. 2, 2010 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND[0002]1. Field[0003]Embodiments relate to a refrigerator in which a freezing compartment and a refrigerating compartment are respectively provided with evaporators to enable independent cooling of the freezing compartment and the refrigerating compartment, and a control method thereof.[0004]2. Description of the Related Art[0005]A refrigerator serves to keep food fresh at a low temperature for a long time by lowering the interior temperature of a storage compartment thereof via a refrigeration cycle in which refrigerant undergoes compression, condensation, expansion and evaporation.[0006]Conventional refrigerators, in which a freezing compartment and a refrigerating compartment are respectively provided with evaporators, ma...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009]Therefore, it is one aspect to provide a refrigerator and a control method thereof, in which a flow path to a freezing compartment evaporator and a refrigerating compartment evaporator is intercepted during defrosting, preventing explosion of the refrigerator.

[0010]It is another aspect to provide a refrigerator and a control method thereof, which may increase cooling efficiency of a freezing compartment upon simultaneous cooling of the freezing compartment and a refrigerating compartment.

Problems solved by technology

The above described conventional refrigerators may have a risk of explosion if refrigerant leaks from a refrigerant pipe during defrosting of the evaporators of the freezing compartment and the refrigerating compartment.

In addition, the conventional cycle refrigerators may cause deterioration in cooling efficiency of the freezing compartment and increase energy consumption because of a higher evaporation temperature of the refrigerating compartment upon simultaneous cooling of the freezing compartment and the refrigerating compartment.

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