Secondary cooling path in refrigerator

摘要

A refrigerator includes a secondary cooling path for circulating liquid coolant through the refrigerator wherein the liquid coolant is cooled by the freezer compartment and wherein the liquid coolant cools the ice maker and the ice bin as the liquid coolant circulates through the secondary cooling path. A pump is positioned along the secondary cooling path for pumping the liquid coolant through the secondary cooling path. A tube having a first end proximate the pump and an opposite end exposed to atmosphere may control suction pressure associated with the pump. The refrigerator reduces frost build up through configuration of the secondary cooling path or performing ice harvesting operations which melt frost. The secondary cooling path may be used to provide for circulating hot liquid. The secondary cooling path may be used to provide for circulating liquid coolant during a power outage.

主权项

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a refrigerator cabinet having a fresh food compartment and a freezer compartment, the freezer compartment mounted below the fresh food compartment; a first fresh food compartment door for providing access to the fresh food compartment; an ice compartment mounted at the first fresh food compartment door, the ice compartment comprising an ice maker and an ice bin; a secondary cooling path for circulating liquid coolant through the refrigerator wherein at least a portion of the secondary cooling path is disposed within the freezer compartment and the liquid coolant is cooled in the freezer compartment and wherein the liquid coolant cools the ice maker and the ice bin as the liquid coolant circulates through the secondary cooling path; a pump positioned along the secondary cooling path for pumping the liquid coolant through the secondary cooling path; a valve in fluid connection with the pump wherein the valve provides for switching between circulating liquid coolant through the secondary cooling path and circulating a hot liquid through the secondary cooling path; a venting conduit connected to the secondary cooling path upstream of the pump and downstream of a heat exchanger disposed within the freezer compartment.