Refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit as well as a method for the control thereof

Abstract

The present invention relates to a refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit comprising a refrigerant circuit, which has a compressor, a condenser, at least one capillary tube as well as at least one evaporator, and a control device for the control of the refrigerant flow through the refrigerant circuit. The invention further relates to a method for the control of such a refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit, wherein at least one operating parameter and/or ambient parameter of the refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit is detected and the refrigerant flow is controlled by the refrigerant circuit in dependence on the detected operating parameter and/or ambient parameter. It is proposed in accordance with the invention to control the refrigerant flow in that the capillary tube is heated by means of a heating device and thereby causing the refrigerant flowing through the capillary tube to evaporate. The invention is based on the recognition that vapor produced in the capillary tube can considerably reduce and optionally completely prevent the flow of the refrigerant through the capillary tube. The greater the evaporation produced in the capillary tube, the lower the remaining refrigerant flow through the capillary tube.

1 . A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit comprising a refrigerant circuit ( 11 ), which has a compressor ( 12 ), a condenser ( 13 ), at least one capillary tube ( 14 ,  15 ), at least one evaporator ( 9 ,  10 ), and a control device ( 16 ,  17 ,  18 ) for the control of the refrigerant flow through the refrigerant circuit ( 11 ), 
 wherein    the control device has a heating device ( 16 ,  17 ) for the heating of the at least one capillary tube ( 14 ,  15 ) and has a vapor production in the capillary tube ( 14 ,  15 ) by which the refrigerant flow through the refrigerant circuit ( 11 ) can be controlled.    
   
   
       2 . A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the control device ( 18 ) and/or the refrigerant circuit ( 11 ) is made free of flow regulator valves and on/off valves.  
   
   
       3 . A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the refrigerant circuit ( 11 ) has flow regulator and/or on/off valves, in addition to the heatable capillary tubes for the control of the refrigerant flow.  
   
   
       4 . A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the heating device ( 16 ,  17 ) is arranged at an end section of the capillary tube ( 14 ,  15 ) at the downstream side.  
   
   
       5 . A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the heating device ( 16 ,  17 ) is arranged an inlet section of the capillary tube ( 14 ,  15 ) at the upstream side.  
   
   
       6 . A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the heating device ( 16 ,  17 ) is preferably made with a stepless temperature control and the control device ( 18 ) has a temperature control module for the control of the heating device ( 16 ,  17 ).  
   
   
       7 . A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein at least one temperature sensor ( 20 ,  21 ,  22 ) is provided for the detection of an evaporator temperature, of a freezer compartment temperature, of a refrigerator compartment temperature and/or an ambient temperature and the control device ( 18 ) controls the heating device ( 16   17 ) in dependence on the temperature detected.  
   
   
       8 . A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the operating time detection device is provided for the detection of the operating time of the compressor ( 12 ) and the control device ( 18 ) controls the heating device ( 16 ,  17 ) in dependence on the detected operating times of the compressor ( 12 ).  
   
   
       9 . A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of evaporators ( 9 ,  10 ) are provided, in particular a refrigerator compartment evaporator ( 10 ) and a freezer compartment evaporator ( 9 ) which are connected sequentially in series.  
   
   
       10 . A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with  claim 9 , wherein the freezer compartment evaporator ( 9 ) is arranged upstream of the refrigerator compartment evaporator ( 10 ) in the refrigerant circuit ( 11 ).  
   
   
       11 . A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein only one capillary tube ( 14 ) is associated with the freezer compartment evaporator ( 9 ) and the refrigerator compartment evaporator ( 10 ) and is arranged upstream of the freezer compartment evaporator ( 9 ) and is heatable by a heating device ( 16 ).  
   
   
       12 . A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein the control device controls the heating device ( 16 ) of the only one capillary tube ( 14 ) in dependence on the signal of a refrigerator compartment temperature sensor or of a refrigerator compartment evaporator temperature sensor ( 21 ) and on only one further detected operating parameter, with the additional operating parameter being selected from the following group: freezer compartment temperature or freezer compartment evaporator temperature, ambient temperature and relative duty cycle of the compressor ( 12 ).  
   
   
       13 . A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with  claim 9 , wherein the freezer compartment evaporator ( 9 ) is arranged downstream of the refrigerator compartment evaporator ( 10 ) in the refrigerant circuit ( 11 ).  
   
   
       14 . A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein two capillary tubes ( 14 ,  15 ) are associated with the two evaporators ( 9 ,  10 ), are connected to one another in parallel and are both connected to a branching point ( 18 ) at the inflow side which is arranged upstream of the refrigerator compartment evaporator ( 10 ) and downstream of the condenser ( 13 ), with the one capillary tube ( 14 ) opening directly into the refrigerator compartment evaporator ( 10 ) and the other capillary tube ( 15 ) opening directly into the freezer compartment evaporator ( 9 ).  
   
   
       15 . A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with  claim 14 , wherein a respective heating device ( 16 ,  17 ) is associated with the two capillary tubes ( 14 ,  15 ), with the control device ( 18 ) controlling the two heating devices ( 16 ,  17 ) in dependence on the signals of a temperature sensor ( 21 ) for a refrigerator compartment or for a refrigerator compartment evaporator and of a temperature sensor ( 20 ) for a freezer compartment or for a freezer compartment evaporator.  
   
   
       16 . A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit ( 1 ) comprising 
 a refrigerator circuit ( 11 ) having a compressor ( 12 ), a condenser ( 13 ), a capillary tube ( 14 ,  15 ) and an evaporator ( 9 ,  10 ), wherein    at least one operating parameter and/or ambient parameter of the refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit ( 1 ) is detected,    the refrigerant flow through the refrigerant circuit ( 11 ) is controlled in dependence on the detected operating parameter and/or ambient parameter,    the refrigerant flow through the refrigerant circuit ( 11 ) is controlled by the capillary tube ( 14 ,  15 ) being heated by a heating device ( 16 ,  17 ) and refrigerant flowing through the capillary tube ( 14 ,  15 ) being brought to evaporation in the capillary tube ( 14 ,  15 ).    
   
   
       17 . A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with  claim 16 , wherein an evaporator temperature, a freezer compartment temperature, a refrigerator compartment temperature and/or an ambient temperature is detected as the operating parameter of the refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit ( 1 ) and the heating output and/or the heating time of the heating device ( 16 , 17 ) is controlled in dependence on the detected evaporator temperature, refrigerator compartment temperature, freezer compartment temperature and/or ambient temperature.  
   
   
       18 . A method in accordance with  claim 16 , wherein a duty cycle of the compressor ( 12 ) is detected as the operating temperature of the refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit ( 1 ) and the heating output and/or the heating time of the heating device ( 16 ,  17 ) is controlled in dependence on the detected duty cycle of the compressor ( 12 ).  
   
   
       19 . A method in accordance with  claim 17 , wherein a duty cycle of the compressor ( 12 ) is detected as the operating temperature of the refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit ( 1 ) and the heating output and/or the heating time of the heating device ( 16 ,  17 ) is controlled in dependence on the detected duty cycle of the compressor ( 12 ).  
   
   
       20 . A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the heating device ( 16 ,  17 ) is arranged at an end section of the capillary tube ( 14 ,  15 ) at the downstream side.