Refrigerator and control method thereof

摘要

A refrigerator is disclosed herein. The refrigerator may include a compressor to compress a refrigerant, a condenser to condense the refrigerant passed through the compressor, a capillary tube that lowers a temperature and pressure of the refrigerant passed through the condenser, an evaporator to evaporate the refrigerant passed through the capillary tube, a thermal storage device for auxiliary cooling that undergoes heat exchange with the refrigerant to store thermal energy, an energy management device that receives electric rate information, and a controller configured to control the compressor based on the electric rate information received at the energy management device. The controller may control an operation of the thermal storage device to provide auxiliary cooling for the refrigerator when the compressor is not operational or when electric rates are relatively high.

主权项

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a compressor to compress a refrigerant; a condenser to condense the refrigerant passed through the compressor; a capillary tube that lowers a temperature and pressure of the refrigerant passed through the condenser; an evaporator to evaporate the refrigerant passed through the capillary tube; a thermal storage device for auxiliary cooling that undergoes heat exchange with the refrigerant to store thermal energy; an energy management device that receives electric rate information; and a controller configured to control the compressor based on the electric rate information received at the energy management device, wherein the controller controls the thermal storage device to store thermal energy and the compressor to operate when the electric rate information is below a prescribed amount, such that a refrigerating chamber and a freezing chamber become cool by cooling of the compressor, wherein the controller controls the thermal storage device to provide auxiliary cooling and the compressor not to operate when a temperature of the refrigerating chamber and the freezing chamber becomes higher than a specific temperature and the electric rate information is above or equal to the prescribed amount, such that the refrigerating chamber and the freezing chamber become cool by cooling of the thermal storage device, wherein the compressor cools the refrigerating chamber and the freezing chamber while the thermal storage device does not cool the refrigerating chamber and the freezing chamber, and wherein the thermal storage device cools the refrigerating chamber and the freezing chamber while the compressor does not cool the refrigerating chamber and the freezing chamber.