Refrigerator

Abstract

A refrigerator is disclosed. The refrigerator includes a refrigerator body having a storage chamber defined therein, a refrigeration cycle device for cooling the storage chamber, a coolant cooler, having a coolant channel for allowing a coolant to pass therethrough, for performing heat exchange between the coolant and a refrigerant of the refrigeration cycle device to cool the coolant, a coolant supply channel for guiding the coolant cooled by the coolant cooler, a rapid cooling body, in which a beverage container receiving part is defined, having a plurality of spray holes for spraying the coolant supplied through the coolant supply channel to the outside of a beverage container, a coolant collection channel for guiding the coolant discharged from the rapid cooling body to the coolant cooler, and a circulation pump mounted on the coolant supply channel and/or the coolant collection channel for circulating the coolant.

1 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a refrigerator body having a storage chamber defined therein;   a refrigeration cycle device for cooling the storage chamber;   a coolant cooler, having a coolant channel for allowing a coolant to pass therethrough, for performing heat exchange between the coolant and a refrigerant of the refrigeration cycle device to cool the coolant;   a coolant supply channel for guiding the coolant cooled by the coolant cooler;   a rapid cooling body, in which a beverage container receiving part is defined, having a plurality of spray holes for spraying the coolant supplied through the coolant supply channel to the outside of a beverage container;   a coolant collection channel for guiding the coolant discharged from the rapid cooling body to the coolant cooler; and   a circulation pump mounted on the coolant supply channel and/or the coolant collection channel for circulating the coolant.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the rapid cooling body comprises:
 an inner cylindrical body, through which the spray holes are formed and in which the beverage container receiving part is defined; and   an outer cylindrical body surrounding the inner cylindrical body for defining an internal channel for allowing a coolant to pass therethrough between the inner cylindrical body and the outer cylindrical body.   
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator according to  claim 2 , wherein the rapid cooling body further comprises:
 a top plate for closing an upper end of the rapid cooling body between the inner cylindrical body and the outer cylindrical body; and   a bottom plate for closing a lower end of the outer cylindrical body.   
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator according to  claim 3 , wherein the coolant supply channel is connected to the top plate. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator according to  claim 3 , wherein the coolant collection channel is connected to the bottom plate at a bottom of the beverage container receiving part. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the coolant supply channel comprises a common channel connected to the coolant cooler and a plurality of branch channels connected between the common channel and the rapid cooling body. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , further comprising a vibration exciter mounted at the rapid cooling body for exciting the rapid cooling body. 
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator according to  claim 7 , further comprising a plurality of support members mounted at a bottom of the rapid cooling body for supporting the rapid cooling body. 
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the coolant cooler comprises a heat exchanger mounted at a surface of an evaporator of the refrigeration cycle device in a surface contact manner. 
     
     
         10 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the coolant cooler comprises a heat exchanger connected in parallel to an evaporator of the refrigeration cycle device for performing heat exchange between a refrigerant channel, through which a refrigerant flows, and a coolant channel. 
     
     
         11 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the coolant cooler comprises a heat exchanger connected in series to an evaporator of the refrigeration cycle device for performing heat exchange between a refrigerant channel, through which a refrigerant flows, and a coolant channel.