Refrigeration appliance

Abstract

A refrigeration appliance, in particular a domestic refrigeration appliance, has at least one refrigeration compartment for accommodating refrigerated goods and a refrigerant circuit. The refrigerant circuit has a condenser, an evaporator for cooling the refrigeration compartment, the evaporator being thermally coupled to the at least one refrigeration compartment and connected to the condenser, a dryer, which is arranged between the condenser and the evaporator, and a valve device, which is connected by an intermediate capillary tube to the dryer and by a throttle capillary tube to the evaporator.

Claims

1. A refrigeration appliance, comprising: at least one refrigeration compartment for receiving refrigerated goods; and a refrigerant circuit, containing: a condenser; an evaporator coupled thermally to said at least one refrigeration compartment for cooling said at least one refrigeration compartment, said evaporator being connected to said condenser; a dryer disposed between said condenser and said evaporator; a throttle capillary tube; an intermediate capillary tube; and a valve facility being connected to said dryer by means of said intermediate capillary tube and to said evaporator by means of said throttle capillary tube; and said dryer having an output, said intermediate capillary tube being connected directly to said output of said dryer said valve facility having an input; and said intermediate capillary tube running uninterrupted between said output of said dryer and said input of said valve facility.

2. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, further comprising an intermediate piece; and wherein said dryer has an output connected to said intermediate piece.

3. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein said intermediate capillary tube has a length in a range of between 0.3 m and 1.0 m.

4. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein said intermediate capillary tube has an internal diameter in a range of between 0.55 mm and 0.8 mm.

5. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein said throttle capillary tube has a length in a range of between 2.00 m and 3.25 m.

6. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein said throttle capillary tube has an internal diameter in a range of between 0.55 mm and 0.8 mm.

7. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein the refrigeration appliance is a household refrigeration appliance.

8. A refrigeration appliance, comprising: at least one refrigeration compartment for receiving refrigerated goods; and a refrigerant circuit, containing: a condenser; an evaporator coupled thermally to said at least one refrigeration compartment for cooling said at least one refrigeration compartment, said evaporator being connected to said condenser; a dryer disposed between said condenser and said evaporator; a throttle capillary tube; an intermediate capillary tube; and a valve facility being connected to said dryer by means of said intermediate capillary tube and to said evaporator by means of said throttle capillary tube; said at least one refrigeration compartment including a first refrigeration compartment and a second refrigeration compartment; said throttle capillary tube including a first throttle capillary tube and a second throttle capillary tube; and said evaporator including a first evaporator having an input and a second evaporator having an input, said first evaporator is coupled thermally to said first refrigeration compartment and said second evaporator is coupled thermally to said second refrigeration compartment, wherein said input of said first evaporator is connected to said valve facility by means of said first throttle capillary tube and wherein said input of said second evaporator is connected to said valve facility by means of said second throttle capillary tube.

9. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 8, wherein said first evaporator has an output connected to said input of said second evaporator.

10. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 8, wherein said first refrigeration compartment is a refrigerator compartment and said second refrigeration compartment is a freezer compartment.

11. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 8, wherein said valve facility is embodied to connect said intermediate capillary tube to said first throttle capillary tube or to said second throttle capillary tube in a fluidically conducting manner.

12. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 8, wherein said valve facility is embodied to interrupt a flow from said intermediate capillary tube into said throttle capillary tube.

13. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 11, wherein said valve facility is a rotary valve embodied to separate said intermediate capillary tube fluidically from said first and said second throttle capillary tube, and to connect to said first throttle capillary tube or to said second throttle capillary tube in a fluidically conducting manner.

14. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 11, wherein said valve facility has a non-return valve and a distributor valve connected in series herewith, wherein said non-return valve is embodied to separate said intermediate capillary tube fluidically from said first and said second throttle capillary tube, and wherein said distributor valve is embodied to connect said intermediate capillary tube to said first throttle capillary tube or to said second throttle capillary tube in a fluidically conducting manner.

15. A refrigeration appliance, comprising: at least one refrigeration compartment for receiving refrigerated goods; a refrigerant circuit, containing: a condenser; an evaporator coupled thermally to said at least one refrigeration compartment for cooling said at least one refrigeration compartment, said evaporator being connected to said condenser; a dryer disposed between said condenser and said evaporator; a throttle capillary tube; an intermediate capillary tube; and a valve facility being connected to said dryer by means of said intermediate capillary tube and to said evaporator by means of said throttle capillary tube; and an intermediate piece; said dryer having an output connected to said intermediate piece; said valve facility having an input; and said intermediate capillary tube running uninterrupted between said intermediate piece and said input of said valve facility.

16. A refrigeration appliance, comprising: at least one refrigeration compartment for receiving refrigerated goods; a refrigerant circuit, containing: a condenser; an evaporator coupled thermally to said at least one refrigeration compartment for cooling said at least one refrigeration compartment, said evaporator being connected to said condenser; a dryer disposed between said condenser and said evaporator; a throttle capillary tube; an intermediate capillary tube; and a valve facility being connected to said dryer by means of said intermediate capillary tube and to said evaporator by means of said throttle capillary tube; and an intermediate piece; said dryer having an output connected to said intermediate piece; and said intermediate piece is an evacuation tube.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the figures of the drawings. In the figures:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a block diagram of a refrigeration appliance according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention; and

(3) FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of a block diagram of a refrigeration appliance according to a further exemplary embodiment of the invention.

(4) In the figures, identical reference characters refer to identical or functionally identical components, unless the opposite is specified.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(5) FIG. 1 shows by way of example a block diagram of a refrigeration appliance 1. The refrigeration appliance 1 can be in particular a household refrigeration appliance, e.g. a refrigerator, an upright freezer or a chest freezer or a fridge-freezer.

(6) The refrigeration appliance 1 shown by way of example in FIG. 1 comprises a first refrigeration compartment 10, a second refrigeration compartment 20 and a refrigerant circuit 3, which is embodied to extract heat from the refrigeration compartments 10, 20 and to output the same into the environment. It is basically also conceivable for the refrigeration appliance 1 to have just one refrigeration compartment or more than two refrigeration compartments. In general the refrigeration appliance 1 therefore comprises at least one refrigeration compartment.

(7) The first refrigeration compartment 10 can be a refrigerator compartment, for instance. In this case, the refrigerant circuit 3 can be embodied to cool the refrigerator compartment to a temperature in a range of between 1 C. and 15 C. The second refrigeration compartment 20 can be for instance a freezer compartment, wherein the refrigerant circuit 3 can be embodied to cool the freezer compartment to a temperature in a range of between 30 C. and 0 C. The refrigeration compartments 10, 20 can naturally also be both refrigerator or freezer compartments. In general the refrigeration compartments 10, 20 are containers which are spatially separated from one another or spatially different zones within a container, from which heat can be extracted by means of an evaporator 34, 35. The refrigeration compartments 10, 20 can therefore be cooled to the same or different temperatures.

(8) As shown by way of example in FIG. 1, the refrigerant circuit 3 can have a compressor 31, a condenser 32, a dryer 33, an intermediate capillary 5, a valve facility 4, one or more connecting capillaries 51, 52 and at least one evaporator 34, 35.

(9) The compressor 31 is embodied to circulate refrigerant, e.g. R600a, in the refrigeration circuit 3. As shown schematically in FIG. 1, an output or a pressure 11 side 33B of the compressor 31 is connected to an input 32A of the condenser 32. The condenser 32 is realized as a heat exchanger, e.g. as a plate-fin heat exchanger or as what is known as a Tube-on-Sheet heat exchanger, abbreviated to ToS heat exchanger, and is embodied to condense gaseous refrigerant by exchanging heat with the environment.

(10) As shown again schematically in FIG. 1, an input 33A of the dryer 33 is connected to an output 32B of the condenser 32. The dryer 33 is embodied to extract water from the refrigerant. As shown by way of example in FIG. 1, an optional evacuation tube 6 can be connected to an output 33B of the dryer 33. Before filling with refrigerant the refrigerant circuit 3 can be evacuated by way of the evacuation tube 6. Instead of the evacuation tube 6, another intermediate piece, e.g. a pipe section, can also be connected to the output 33B of the dryer 33.

(11) As shown by way of example in FIG. 1, an input 4A of the valve facility 4 can be connected to the dryer 33 by means of the intermediate capillaries 5 in a fluidically conducting manner. With the refrigerant circuit 3 shown by way of example in FIG. 1, the intermediate capillary tube 5 leads out from the evacuation tube 6. In general, the intermediate capillary tube 5 can therefore be connected to the intermediate piece. The intermediate capillary tube 5 therefore connects the dryer and the valve facility 4. In particular, the intermediate capillary tube 5 can pass uninterrupted between the intermediate piece and the input 4A of the valve facility 4, as shown by way of example in FIG. 1, in particular without further hydraulic components or heat exchange components being provided between the intermediate piece and the valve facility 4. The intermediate capillary tube 5 can have a length in a range of between 0.3 m and 1.0 m, for instance. For instance, the intermediate capillary tube 5 can extend within a machine room of the refrigeration appliance 1, in which the compressor 31, an optional condensed 7 water tray (not shown) for receiving condensed water from the at least one refrigeration compartment 10, 20, the dryer 33 and the valve facility 4 is received. For instance, provision can be made for the valve facility 4 and the dryer 33 to be arranged at opposite end or edge regions of the machine room. An internal diameter of the intermediate capillary tube 5 can lie for instance in a range of between 0.55 mm and 0.8 mm. The intermediate capillary tube 5 is preferably formed from copper.

(12) As furthermore shown schematically and by way of example in FIG. 1, the first evaporator 34 is connected to the valve facility 4 by means of a first throttle capillary tube 51 and the second evaporator 35 is connected to the valve facility 4 by means of a second throttle capillary tube 52. As already explained, it is however also conceivable for only one refrigeration compartment and an evaporator to be provided, which is connected to the valve facility 4 by means of a throttle capillary tube. For instance, provision can however also be made for each evaporator to be connected to the valve facility 4 by way of a throttle capillary tube in each case. Alternatively, even with a plurality of evaporators, only a first evaporator can be connected to the valve facility 4 by way of a throttle capillary tube, while the further evaporator or evaporators are connected in series with the first evaporator. FIG. 1 shows by way of example that the first throttle capillary tube 51 is connected to an input 34A of the first evaporator 34 and the second throttle capillary tube 52 is connected to an input 35A of the second evaporator 34. An output 34B of the first evaporator 34 can further be connected to the input 35A of the second evaporator 35, as shown by way of example in FIG. 1. An output 35B of the second evaporator 35 is connected to an input or a suction side 31A of the evaporator 31, e.g. by way of a suction tube 36. As also shown by way of example and only schematically in FIG. 1, the throttle capillary tubes 51, 52 can run at least in sections in heat-conducting contact with the suction tube 36, e.g. be connected herewith, so that a suction throttle tube heat exchanger 37 is embodied.

(13) The first throttle capillary tube 51 and/or the second throttle capillary tube 52 can have a length in a range of between 2.00 m and 3.25 m, for instance. An internal diameter of the first throttle capillary tube 51 and/or of the second throttle capillary tube 52 can lie in a range of between 0.55 mm and 0.8 mm for instance. Provision can optionally be made for the intermediate capillary tube 5 and the first and/or the second throttle capillary tube 51, 52 to have the same internal diameter. The first throttle capillary tube 51 and/or the second throttle capillary tube 52 can be formed from copper, for instance.

(14) The valve facility 4 can be realized as a rotary valve 40, as shown by way of example in FIG. 1. In this case, the valve facility 4 can be embodied on the one hand to block the flow of refrigerant from the intermediate capillary tube 5 into the first and the second throttle capillary tube 5, e.g. when the compressor is stationary. Furthermore, the valve facility 4 can be embodied to connect the intermediate capillary tube 5 optionally to the first throttle capillary tube 51 or the second throttle capillary tube 52 in a fluidically conducting manner in order to conduct refrigerant by way of the first throttle capillary tube 51 into the first evaporator 34 or by way of the second throttle capillary tube 52 into the second evaporator 35.

(15) The refrigeration appliance 1 shown by way of example in FIG. 2 differs from the refrigeration appliance 1 shown in FIG. 1 by the design of the valve facility 4 and by the connection of the intermediate capillary tube 5 to the dryer 33. Reference is therefore made to the above description in order to avoid repetitions.

(16) As FIG. 2 shows by way of example, the intermediate capillary tube 5 can connect directly, in particular without an intermediate piece, to the output 33A of the dryer 33. The intermediate capillary tube 5 in this case optionally runs uninterrupted between the output 33A of the dryer 33 and the input 4A of the valve facility 4.

(17) With the refrigeration appliance 1 shown by way of example in FIG. 2, the valve facility 4 is realized by two separate valves. In particular, the valve facility 4 can have a non-return valve 41 and a distributor valve 42 connected in series herewith. As shown by way of example in FIG. 2, the non-return valve 41 can be arranged between the intermediate capillary tube 5 and the distributor valve 42.

(18) The non-return valve 41 can be embodied in particular to fluidically separate the intermediate capillary tube 5 from the first and the second throttle capillary tube 51, 52. The valve facility 4 is therefore embodied to interrupt a flow from the intermediate capillary tube 5 into the throttle capillary tube 51, 52, e.g. when the compressor 31 is stationary.

(19) The distributor valve 42 forms a directional valve which is embodied to connect the intermediate capillary tube 5 optionally to the first throttle capillary tube 51 or to the second throttle capillary tube 52 in a fluidically conducting manner in order to conduct refrigerant by way of the first throttle capillary tube 51 into the first evaporator 34 or by way of the second throttle capillary tube 52 into the second evaporator 35. The valve facility 4 is therefore embodied to connect the intermediate capillary tube 5 optionally to the first throttle capillary tube 51 or the second throttle capillary tube 52 in a fluidically conducting manner.

(20) By means of the above-described design of the refrigeration appliances 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 with an intermediate capillary tube 5, which connects the dryer 33 and the valve facility 4, and an additional throttle capillary tube 51, 52, which connects the valve facility 4 to a respective evaporator 34, 35, a throttling of the refrigerant, e.g. of R600a, is divided between a region upstream and a region downstream of the valve facility 4. For instance, when a predetermined amount of pressure is to be reduced between the output 33B of the dryer 33 and an input 34A, 34B of the respective evaporator 34, 35, the intermediate capillary tube 5 can be designed, in particular its internal diameter and its length, so that 25 percent to 40 percent of the predetermined amount of pressure is reduced in the intermediate capillary tube 5. By dividing the reduction in pressure between the intermediate capillaries 5 and the throttle capillary tube or tubes 51, 52, the length of the throttle capillary tubes 51, 52 can be significantly reduced. A space-saving installation of the throttle capillary tubes 51, 52 is therefore facilitated on the one hand. Furthermore, as a result, material can advantageously be saved. 2

(21) Although the present invention was explained by way of example above on the basis of exemplary embodiments, it is not restricted thereto but can be modified in a variety of ways. In particular, combinations of the preceding exemplary embodiments are also conceivable. For instance, with the refrigeration appliance 1 shown in FIG. 2, the valve facility 4 can be embodied as a rotary valve 40.

REFERENCE CHARACTERS

(22) 1 Refrigeration appliance 3 Refrigerant circuit 4 Valve facility 4A Input of the valve facility 5 Intermediate capillary tube 10 First refrigeration compartment/refrigerator compartment 20 Second refrigeration compartment/freezer compartment 31 Compressor 31A Input of the compressor 31A Output of the compressor 32 Condenser 32A Input of the condenser 32B Output of the condenser 33 Dryer 33A Input of the dryer 33B Output of the dryer 34 First evaporator 34A Input of the first evaporator 34B Output of the first evaporator 35 Second evaporator 35A Input of the second evaporator 35B Output of the second evaporator 36 Suction tube 37 Suction throttle tube heat exchanger 40 Rotary valve 41 Non-return valve 42 Distributor valve 51 First throttle capillary tube 52 Second throttle capillary tube