A refrigerator includes a cabinet in which a storage chamber is formed, a cooler configured to cool the storage chamber, a heater configured to heat the storage chamber, a temperature sensor configured to sense a storage chamber temperature, and a controller configured to control the cooler and the heater, in which the controller selectively performs a plurality of modes, the plurality of modes include a cooling mode in which the cooler is operated or stopped, a heating mode in which the heater is operated or stopped, and a standby mode in which the cooler and the heater are stopped, and the plurality of modes are performed in the order of the cooling mode, the standby mode, and heating mode, or are performed in the order of the heating mode, the standby mode, and the cooling mode.

A movable platen cooling apparatus includes: a compressor; a cold head that includes a cooling part; a refrigerator gas supply line that supplies a refrigerant gas from the compressor to the cold head; a refrigerator gas exhaust line that exhausts the refrigerant gas from the cold head to the compressor; a first gas inflow line that is connected to a first movable platen flow path and includes a heat exchange part thermally coupled to the cooling part; a first gas outflow line connected to the first movable platen flow path and merged with the refrigerator gas exhaust line; a second gas inflow line connected to a second movable platen flow path and disposed to be thermally non-coupled with the cooling part; and a second gas outflow line connected to the second movable platen flow path and merged with the refrigerator gas exhaust line.

A first storage compartment's influence on a second storage compartment, when the first storage compartment and the second storage compartment have different temperature ranges and are cooled by a single cooler, is reduced. A refrigerator includes a compressor for compressing and circulating a refrigerant, a cooler provided to generate cold air through circulation of the refrigerant, a first storage compartment having an temperature maintained within a first range, a second storage compartment having an temperature maintained within a second range different from the first range, a first air passage for guiding cold air generated in the cooler to the first storage compartment, a second air passage for guiding cold air generated in the cooler to the second storage compartment, and a switching unit for guiding the cold air generated in the cooler to selectively flow into any one of the first air passage and the second air passage.

A refrigerator includes a compressor, a condenser, a first evaporator connected with a first evaporator inlet path and a first evaporator outlet path, a second evaporator connected with a second evaporator inlet path and a second evaporator outlet path, a third evaporator connected with a third evaporator inlet path and a third evaporator outlet path, a path switching device, and a controller for controlling the compressor and the path switching device based on at least one mode.

A refrigerator appliance, as provided herein, may include a cabinet defining a fresh food (FF) chamber and a freezer (Fz) chamber, a liner, and a sealed system. The liner may define an icebox (IB) compartment. The sealed system may include a compressor, a condenser, a multi-path valve, a first expansion device, a second expansion device, a FF evaporator, an IB evaporator, and a Fz evaporator. The multi-path valve may be downstream from the condenser to selectively direct refrigerant between a fluid-parallel first restrictor path and second restrictor path. The first expansion device may be mounted in fluid communication along the first restrictor path. The second expansion device may be mounted in fluid communication along the second restrictor path. The FF evaporator may be downstream from the first restrictor path. The IB evaporator may be downstream from the FF evaporator. The Fz evaporator may be downstream from the IB evaporator.

A control method of a refrigerator includes: determining whether a first temperature of a refrigerating compartment satisfies a first temperature condition; based the first temperature satisfying the first temperature condition, determining whether a second temperature of a freezing compartment satisfies a second temperature condition; based on the second temperature satisfying the second temperature condition, determining (i) whether a third temperature of an ice making compartment satisfies a third temperature condition and (ii) whether a driving time for ice making has passed; maintaining operation of a compressor while determining (i) whether the second temperature satisfies the second temperature condition, (ii) whether the third temperature satisfies the third temperature condition, and (iii) whether the driving time has passed; and stopping operation of the compressor based on at least one of (i) a determination that the third temperature satisfies the third temperature condition or (ii) a determination that the driving time has passed.

A refrigerator includes a storage compartment and a mullion assembly pivotally coupled to one of a first door and a second door. The mullion assembly includes a cavity with an insulating member disposed therein. One or more sensor assemblies are coupled to the mullion assembly and configured to collect data sufficient to calculate a dew point temperature of the mullion assembly and an actual temperature of the mullion assembly. A heating element is coupled to the mullion assembly and is selectively activated by a controller based on information provided from the one or more sensor assemblies. The heating element is powered using a modulated power level that is inversely proportionate to the difference in temperature between the mullion assembly and the calculated dew point.

The present invention relates to a temperature-context-aware refrigerator and a method for controlling the same. A temperature-context-aware refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a temperature context awareness unit for sensing a temperature of at least one storage compartment, and when the difference between the sensed temperature and a temperature set for the corresponding storage compartment is equal to or greater than a predetermined level, generating load-responsive operation information including a target temperature lower or higher than the set temperature; a temperature control unit for controlling a temperature sensor and the temperature context awareness unit, and performing a load-responsive operation for controlling the temperature of the storage compartment by using the load-responsive operation information; and a database unit which is required for the temperature context awareness unit to generate the load-responsive operation information.

A refrigerator includes a main body that includes an inner case having a storage chamber; a refrigerating chamber discharge duct that divides the storage chamber into a heat exchange chamber and a refrigerating chamber and has refrigerating chamber discharge ports for discharging cold air to the refrigerating chamber. A refrigerating chamber thermoelectric module has a first heat absorbing unit and a first heat dissipating unit, the first heat absorbing unit disposed in the heat exchange chamber. A refrigerating chamber cooling fan circulates cold air in the refrigerating chamber to the heat exchange chamber and the refrigerating chamber; and a refrigerating chamber heat dissipating fan blows external air to the first heat dissipating unit A freezing compartment is disposed in the refrigerating chamber and has a freezing chamber; a freezing compartment thermoelectric module has a second heat absorbing unit and a second heat dissipating unit, the second heating dissipating unit cooling the freezing chamber. An air guide has a channel for guiding cold air from the heat exchange chamber to the second heat dissipating unit; and a freezing compartment damper controls the cold air flowing toward the second heat dissipating unit through the channel.

A beverage dispensing system includes a cabinet with a dispensing station. The cabinet includes therein a refrigeration system, a cooling fluid system, and a refrigerated compartment having therein a cooling system and a beverage source coupled with the dispensing station. The cooling fluid system circulates a cooling fluid through the refrigeration system such that the refrigeration system cools the cooling fluid. The cooling fluid system further normally circulates the cooling fluid through the dispensing station to cool beverage therein. The cooling fluid system directs the cooling fluid from the dispensing station to the cooling system when necessary to cool the refrigerated compartment. A beverage fluid system resides in the cooling fluid system between the beverage source and the dispensing station such that the cooling fluid system cools beverage flowing through the beverage fluid system prior to delivery of beverage to the dispensing station for dispensing therefrom.