Refrigerator and method of controlling the same
A refrigerator is provided. The refrigerator may include first and second refrigerant paths that separately distribute refrigerant, a first cooling chamber connected with a first cold air duct, a second cooling chamber connected with a second cold air duct, and a third cooling chamber connected with a third cold air duct. Cold air generated by a first evaporator is provided to the first cold air duct to cool the first cooling chamber, cold air generated by a second evaporator, which receives refrigerant from the first evaporator, is provided to the second cold air duct to provide concentrated cooling to the second cooling chamber, and cold air generated by a third evaporator is provided to the third cold air duct to cool the third cooling chamber.
1. A refrigerator, comprising:
a main body having first, second and third chambers fanned therein; and
first and second refrigerant paths connected in parallel to a condenser, wherein the first and second refrigerant paths receive refrigerant from a condenser and supply condensed refrigerant to first, second and third evaporators, wherein
the first evaporator is provided in the first refrigerant path and is connected with a first duct, the first evaporator receiving refrigerant from the condenser via the first refrigerant path, generating cold air using the received refrigerant, and supplying the generated cold air to the first chamber through the first duct;
the second evaporator is provided in the first refrigerant path, downstream of the first evaporator, and is connected in series with the first evaporator such that the second evaporator only receives refrigerant that has already passed through the first evaporator, generates cold air using only the refrigerant received from the first evaporator, and supplies the generated cold air to the second chamber through a second duct; and
the third evaporator is provided in the second refrigerant path and is connected with a third duct, the third evaporator receiving refrigerant from the condenser via the second refrigerant path, generating cold air using the received refrigerant, and supplying the generated cold air to the third chamber through the third duct;
wherein the first and second refrigerant paths form separate paths that separately guide refrigerant, the first refrigerant path guiding refrigerant to the first evaporator and the first evaporator guiding the refrigerant to the second evaporator along the first refrigerant path, and the second refrigerant path guiding refrigerant to the third evaporator, to prevent mixture of refrigerant circulating through the first refrigerant path with refrigerant circulating through the second refrigerant path.
2. The refrigerator of claim 1 , further comprising first, second and third fans respectively provided in the first, second and third ducts so as to circulate cold air therein, wherein the first, second and third ducts are separated from each other so as to prevent mixture of cold air circulated therein.
3. The refrigerator of claim 2 , further comprising a three way valve connected to an outlet end of the condenser, wherein the three way valve distributes refrigerant processed by the condenser into the first and second refrigerant paths.
4. The refrigerator of claim 3 , wherein the three way valve adjusts an amount of refrigerant supplied to the first and second refrigerant paths based on an amount of temperature change required in the first, second and third chambers.
5. The refrigerator of claim 4 , wherein the first fan is configured to stop operating when a temperature of the first chamber is less than a preset first chamber temperature.
6. The refrigerator of claim 4 , wherein the first and second fans are configured to start operating when a temperature in the second chamber is greater than a preset second chamber temperature.
7. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the first, second and third chambers are a quick freezer compartment, a main freezer compartment and a refrigerator compartment, and wherein the quick freezer compartment is formed as a separate sub-compartment within the main freezer compartment or the refrigerator compartment.
8. The refrigerator of claim 7 , wherein a temperature of the quick freezer compartment is decreased more quickly than a temperature of the main freezer compartment in a quick freezing mode of the refrigerator.
9. A refrigerator, comprising:
a main body having first, second and third chambers formed therein;
first, second and third evaporators in communication with the first, second and third chambers so as to provide cold air to the first, second and third chambers, respectively;
a first refrigerant path that receives condensed refrigerant from a condenser and supplies the condensed refrigerant to the first evaporator, wherein the first evaporator supplies the condensed refrigerant to the second evaporator, the second evaporator being connected to the first evaporator in series and positioned downstream of the first evaporator, such that the second evaporator only receives refrigerant that has already passed through the first evaporator;
a second refrigerant path that receives condensed refrigerant from the condenser and supplies the condensed refrigerant to the third evaporator, the first and second refrigerant paths being connected in parallel with the condenser; and
separate first, second and third ducts that respectively receive cold air from the first, second and third evaporators, and that respectively supply the received cold air to the first, second and third chambers,
wherein the first and second refrigerant paths form paths that separately guide refrigerant, the first refrigerant path guiding refrigerant to the first evaporator and the first evaporator guiding the refrigerant to the second evaporator along the first refrigerant path and the second refrigerant path guiding refrigerant to the third evaporator, to prevent mixture of refrigerant circulating through the first refrigerant path with refrigerant circulating through the second refrigerant path.
10. The refrigerator of claim 9 , further comprising first, second and third fans respectively provided in the first, second and third ducts so as to circulate cold air therein.
11. The refrigerator of claim 9 , further comprising a three way valve connected to an outlet end of the condenser, wherein the three way valve distributes refrigerant processed by the condenser into the first and second refrigerant paths.
12. The refrigerator of claim 11 , wherein the three way valve adjusts an amount of refrigerant supplied to the first and second refrigerant paths based on an amount of temperature change required in the first, second and third chambers.
13. The refrigerator of claim 12 , wherein the first fan is configured to stop operating when a temperature of the first chamber is less than a preset first chamber temperature.
14. The refrigerator of claim 12 , wherein the first and second fans are configured to start operating when a temperature in the second chamber is greater than a preset second chamber temperature.
15. The refrigerator of claim 9 , wherein the first, second and third chambers are a quick freezer compartment, a main freezer compartment and a refrigerator compartment, and wherein the quick freezer compartment is formed as a separate sub-compartment within the main freezer compartment or the refrigerator compartment.
16. The refrigerator of claim 15 , wherein a temperature of the quick freezer compartment is decreased more quickly than a temperature of the main freezer compartment in a quick freezing mode of the refrigerator.