Reduced energy refrigerator defrost method and apparatus

1. A method for defrosting an evaporator of a refrigeration sealed system, the refrigeration sealed system including a refrigeration compartment and a controller operatively coupled to a compressor, a defrost heater, an evaporator fan and a condenser fan, said method comprising:

initiating a defrost cycle;

operating the sealed system to prechill the refrigeration compartment;

sensing a temperature of the evaporator by at least one sensor operatively coupled to the evaporator; and

operating at least one of the evaporator fan and the condenser fan for one of a predetermined time interval and until a predetermined temperature of the evaporator is attained, in response to the data received from the at least one sensor, prior to activating the defrost heater to raise a temperature of the evaporator after lowering a temperature of the refrigeration compartment to a predetermined target temperature that is below a user-selected set point temperature.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said operating at least one of the evaporator fan and the condenser fan comprises deactivating the compressor.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising operating the evaporator fan and the condenser fan with the compressor deactivated prior to activating the defrost heater.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising:

defrosting the evaporator with the defrost heater after operating at least one of the evaporator fan and the condenser fan;

suspending operation of the sealed system for a predetermined dwell time; and

activating the compressor and the condenser fan to lower a temperature of the evaporator.

5. A method in accordance with claim 4 wherein the compressor is operable at a plurality of speeds, said activating the compressor comprising activating the compressor in a low speed.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein selectively operating the evaporator fan facilitates evaporation of refrigerant in a condenser and acts as a thermal siphon causing migration of refrigerant to the evaporator.

7. A method in accordance with claim 6 further comprising condensing vapor refrigerant within the evaporator to reject heat thereby warming the evaporator.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the evaporator is selectively operated during a preheating stage for one of a predetermined time period, until a predetermined evaporator temperature is reached and for a variable period dependant upon sensed conditions of the system.

9. A refrigeration unit having an evaporator and at least one refrigeration compartment, said refrigeration unit comprising:

a compressor;

a defrost heater;

an evaporator fan;

a condenser fan;

at least one sensor operatively coupled the evaporator to sense a temperature of the evaporator; and

a controller operatively coupled to said compressor, said defrost heater, said evaporator fan, said condenser fan, and said at least one sensor, said controller configured to deactivate said compressor and selectively operate at least one of said evaporator fan and said condenser fan, in response to data received from said at least one sensor, to raise a temperature of the evaporator after lowering a temperature of the at least one refrigeration compartment to a predetermined target temperature that is below a user-selected set point temperature and prior to activating said defrost heater, said at least one of said evaporator fan and said condenser fan operable for one of a predetermined time interval and until a predetermined temperature of the evaporator is attained.

10. A refrigeration unit in accordance with claim 9 , wherein said controller is further configured to activate said defrost heater after operating said at least one of said evaporator fan and said condenser fan.

11. A refrigeration unit in accordance with claim 10 , wherein said controller is further configured to operate said compressor to lower a temperature of said evaporator when said defrost heater is no longer activated.