An icemaking system includes: a refrigerant circuit that executes a vapor compression refrigeration cycle; a circulation circuit that circulates solution as a cooling target of the refrigerant circuit; and a control device that controls refrigerant evaporation temperature at the refrigerant circuit. The circulation circuit includes a solution flow path of: an ice generator; a solution tank that stores the solution; and a pump that pressure feeds the solution to the solution flow path. The refrigerant circuit includes: an evaporator of the ice generator; a compressor; a condenser; and an expansion valve. The control device includes a central processing unit (CPU) that adjusts to lower evaporation temperature at the evaporator as the solution has higher solute concentration.

Described are a compressor driving apparatus and a refrigerator including the same. The compressor driving apparatus includes: switching elements; an inverter; an output current detector for detecting an output current flowing through a motor; and an inverter controller for controlling the inverter. The inverter controller controls the piston so that one end of the piston is fixed at a first position spaced apart from the discharge unit at stroke of the piston during a first period, controls the piston to collide with the discharge unit when a change rate in an operation rate or a position error of the compressor is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, and controls the piston so that the one end of the piston is fixed at a second position spaced apart from the discharge unit at stroke of the piston during a second period after the collision of the piston.

Disclosed herein are a compressor driving apparatus and a refrigerator including the same. A compressor driving apparatus includes: a plurality of switching elements; an inverter for converting direct current (DC) power into alternating current (AC) power according to a switching operation to output the converted AC power to the motor; an output current detector for detecting an output current flowing through the motor; and an inverter controller for controlling the inverter based on the output current, wherein the inverter controller controls the piston so that one end of the piston is fixed at a first position spaced apart from the discharge unit at stroke of the piston during a first period, controls the piston to collide with the discharge unit when a change rate in an operation rate or a position error of the compressor is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, and controls the piston so that the one end of the piston is fixed at a second position spaced apart from the discharge unit at stroke of the piston during a second period after the collision of the piston. Accordingly, control accuracy may be improved and a noise may be reduced upon piston position based operation control.

An icemaking system includes: a refrigerant circuit that executes a vapor compression refrigeration cycle; a circulation circuit that circulates solution as a cooling target of the refrigerant circuit; and a control device that controls refrigerant evaporation temperature at the refrigerant circuit. The circulation circuit includes a solution flow path of: an ice generator; a solution tank that stores the solution; and a pump that pressure feeds the solution to the solution flow path. The refrigerant circuit includes: an evaporator of the ice generator; a compressor; a condenser; and an expansion valve. The control device includes a central processing unit (CPU) that adjusts to lower evaporation temperature at the evaporator as the solution has higher solute concentration.

Disclosed is a compressor for use with an apparatus having a refrigeration cycle where the compressor includes a piston which reciprocates in a cylinder; a linear motor configured to provide a driving force to move the piston; a sensor configured to sense a motor current of the linear motor; and a compressor controller configured to detect information related to a load of the apparatus, in a separated manner from a controller which controls a body of the apparatus, wherein the compressor controller calculates a phase difference between a stroke of the piston and the sensed motor current, and wherein the compressor controller compares the calculated phase difference with a reference phase difference, and controls a driving of the linear motor in correspondence to the detected load, according to a result of the comparison.

Disclosed is a compressor for use with an apparatus having a refrigeration cycle where the compressor includes a piston which reciprocates in a cylinder; a linear motor configured to provide a driving force to move the piston; a sensor configured to sense a motor current of the linear motor; and a compressor controller configured to detect information related to a load of the apparatus, in a separated manner from a controller which controls a body of the apparatus, wherein the compressor controller calculates a phase difference between a stroke of the piston and the sensed motor current, and wherein the compressor controller compares the calculated phase difference with a reference phase difference, and controls a driving of the linear motor in correspondence to the detected load, according to a result of the comparison.

A method controls a refrigerator. The refrigerator includes a compressor that includes a piston and uses refrigerant as lubricant for the piston, and the method includes determining an end time point of a refrigerant recovery operation based on a driving input value of the compressor to thereby reducer abrasion of the piston and power consumption.

Various embodiments of the teachings herein include a cold exchange system. An example includes: thermal energy exchangers connected to a refrigerant pipe system; and a control system comprising: an orifice adjusting system including a valve and an actuator, the valve comprising a flow chamber with an adjustable orifice in the pipe; a position sensor to sense a position of the adjustable orifice and/or the actuator and generate a signal indicative of the sensed position; and a controller. The orifice adjusting system adjusts the adjustable orifice in response to a control signal. The control system uses a software-wise change of a characteristic curve of the orifice adjusting system. The position sensor operates using a static measurement principle. The controller compares the signal to a set position of the adjustable orifice and generates the control signal based on the comparison.