A plate heat exchanger that includes a first, second, and third heat-exchange compartment is disclosed. The heat-exchange compartments include circulation paths in which heat-transfer fluids circulate. The heat-exchange compartments are fluidly connected to allow the heat-transfer fluids to circulate between them. The first and second heat-exchange compartments are stacked. The first and third heat-exchange compartments are arranged side by side.

An evaporator includes a leeward upper header portion, a leeward lower header portion, a refrigerant inlet, leeward heat exchange tubes, a windward upper header portion, a windward lower header portion, a refrigerant outlet, windward heat exchange tubes, and a resistance divider. The resistance divider has at least one refrigerant passage hole and at least one communication path and is provided in the leeward upper header portion or the leeward lower header portion at a position corresponding to a first row of the leeward heat exchange tubes. The refrigerant inlet is in communication with the first row via the at least one refrigerant passage hole. The refrigerant inlet is in communication with the second row via the at least one communication path.

A leeward tube row of an evaporator includes first to third tube groups, and a windward tube row thereof includes fourth and fifth tube groups. Within a third section of a leeward upper header portion with which heat exchange tubes of the third tube group communicate, a resistance member for flow division is provided so as to divide the interior of the third section into a first space which the heat exchange tubes face, and a second space which is separated from the first space and into which refrigerant flows. The resistance member for flow division has a plurality of refrigerant passage holes. The leeward upper header portion has a flow cutoff member for preventing flow of refrigerant into the first space of the third section. The third section of the leeward upper header portion communicates with the fourth section of the windward upper header portion via refrigerant communication passages.

A heat exchanger includes a plurality of flat tubes arranged one above the other, a plurality of fins connected to the flat tubes, a first header collecting pipe in which one end of each of the plurality of flat tubes is inserted, and a second header collecting pipe in which the other end of each of the plurality of flat tubes is inserted. The heat exchanger exchanges heat between a fluid flowing through the flat tubes and air outside the flat tubes. Each of the first and second header collecting pipes extends in a vertical direction. At least one of the first and second header collecting pipes comprises a communication space that communicates with an upstream side of the plurality of flat tubes when the heat exchanger functions as an evaporator. The communication space comprises a partition plate.

A refrigerator is provided with an evaporator assembly located in a compartment. The evaporator assembly includes a pipe, a fan assembly, a plurality of fins, a first and second bracket. The pipe is configured to transport a refrigerant that exchanges heat with an air stream from the compartment. The plurality of fins is inserted on the pipe. The brackets each include apertures to receive bent end portions of the pipe. The brackets are configured to hold the pipe and the fins in a specific position, to mount the evaporator assembly within the compartment, and restrict the air stream exiting the evaporator assembly from mixing with the air stream entering the evaporator assembly. The fins include end fins that are placed in direct contact with the first end bracket and are configured to further restrict the air stream from flowing through the plurality of apertures of the brackets.

An ice maker evaporator assembly having an evaporator pan with a back wall and left, right, top and bottom sidewalls extending from the back wall, and a freeze plate located within the evaporator pan. Refrigerant tubing is thermally coupled to the back wall of the evaporator pan opposite the left, right, top and bottom sidewalls. A first layer of insulation is formed on the refrigerant tubing. An evaporator housing having a housing back wall and housing left, right, top and bottom sidewalls extending from the housing back wall is attached to the evaporator pan and covers refrigerant tubing. A second layer of insulation is formed on top of the first layer of insulation.

An evaporator with a cool storage function includes a plurality of refrigerant flow tubes. The flow tubes are spaced apart from one another in a thickness direction to form spaces among the plurality of refrigerant flow tubes. Outer fins are disposed in a first part of the spaces and are joined to the plurality of refrigerant flow tubes. The cool storage material container contains a cool storage material and is disposed in a second part of the spaces other than the first part. An inner fin is disposed within the cool storage material container and has crest portions extending along a longitudinal direction of the flow tubes, trough portions extending along the longitudinal direction, and connection portions connecting the crest portions and the trough portions.

A refrigerator is provided with an evaporator assembly located in a compartment. The evaporator assembly includes a pipe, a fan assembly, a plurality of fins, a first and second bracket. The pipe is configured to transport a refrigerant that exchanges heat with an air stream from the compartment. The plurality of fins is inserted on the pipe. The brackets each include apertures to receive bent end portions of the pipe. The brackets are configured to hold the pipe and the fins in a specific position, to mount the evaporator assembly within the compartment, and restrict the air stream exiting the evaporator assembly from mixing with the air stream entering the evaporator assembly. The fins include end fins that are placed in direct contact with the first end bracket and are configured to further restrict the air stream from flowing through the plurality of apertures of the brackets.

A heat exchanger has at least one inlet and outlet to permit circulation of refrigerant therethrough. Each heat exchanger includes a plurality of thin sections of material arranged between a pair of thin flat outer plates. Each of the thin sections of material is comprised of parallel flow paths, allowing for the refrigerant to flow through the inlet, then from one section to the next, and finally out the outlet. The arrangement of the sections of parallel flow paths allows for the refrigerant to come into contact with the majority of the inside wall of the outer plates, allowing for maximum heat exchange. In use for cooling liquids, the heat exchangers are arranged within a frame and brought into contact with the liquid to be cooled. When the heat exchangers are used to cool liquid sufficiently to produce ice crystals, a rotating scraping device sweeps across the surface of the heat exchanger, removing any ice crystals that have formed.

The present invention discloses a defrosting device, including: a heating unit provided at a lower portion of the evaporator; and a heat pipe connected to an inlet and an outlet of the heating unit, respectively, and having at least part thereof disposed adjacent to a cooling pipe of the evaporator such that the cooling pipe of the evaporator is cooled by a working fluid of high temperature which is transferred in a heated state by the heating unit, wherein the heating unit includes: a heater case extending in one direction to be arranged in a left and right direction of the evaporator, and having the inlet and the outlet at both sides thereof; and a heater provided with an active heating part accommodated within the heater case and actively generating heat to heat the working fluid, and a passive heating part extending from the active heating part and heated up to temperature lower than temperature of the active heating part, and wherein the inlet is formed at a position away from the active heating part to prevent the working fluid returned after flowing along the heat pipe from being introduced directly into the active heating part.