APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DISCHARGING A REFRIGERANT USING A STEP VALVE

摘要

The present invention relates to a refrigerator having a step valve and an apparatus for controlling discharge of a refrigerant to control the refrigerator. The apparatus for controlling discharge of the refrigerant using the step valve according to the present invention comprises the step valve for discharging the refrigerant into a plurality of freezing rooms and cooling rooms; a first discharging pipe discharging the refrigerant into at least one cooling room according to a first step set for the step valve; a second discharging pipe discharging the refrigerant into at least one cooling room according to a second step set in a sequence of the first step; a third discharging pipe discharging the refrigerant into at least one freezing room according to a third step set in a sequence of the second step; a fourth discharging pipe discharging the refrigerant into at least one freezing room according to a fourth step finally set for the step valve; and a controller controlling an operation of the step valve. The present invention makes a temperature lowering phenomenon according to a continuous inflow of the refrigerant very insignificant, thereby reducing an unintended decrease of the inside temperature and rapidly dropping the inside temperature within the cooling rooms at an initial stage. Moreover, the present invention minimizes step movement time of the step valve and elongates alternation operation time of the cooling rooms during one cycle operation.