Low energy evaporator defrost
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorPATRICK J. BOARMAN
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A refrigerator is provided that includes a low energy defrost system and method for melting frost formed on an evaporator of a cooling system for the refrigerator. The low energy defrost system includes using air from the refrigerator compartment or external air adjacent the refrigerator to be directed to the evaporator and passed adjacent the evaporator coils to melt any frost formed thereon. As the air is above freezing temperature, it will melt any frost formed on the coils without the need of use an electrical heater. Re-cooled air from the melted frost may then be directed back into the refrigerator compartment to be used to aid in cooling the refrigerator compartment or keeping the refrigerator compartment at the programmed or predetermined temperature.
Claims20
A refrigerator, comprising:
- a refrigerator compartment;
- a freezer compartment;
- an evaporator for cooling both the refrigerator and the freezer compartment;
- a defrost air loop for directing refrigerator compartment air from the refrigerator compartment to the evaporator and back to the refrigerator compartment, wherein the refrigerator compartment air is configured to melt frost on the evaporator and cool, and wherein the cooled air is returned to the refrigerator compartment;
- and
- an evaporator pan operably connected to the evaporator and configured to store the melted frost of the evaporator.
A defrost air loop assembly for defrosting an evaporator of a cooling system, comprising:
- a first compartment having a temperature above freezing;
- a second compartment having a temperature below freezing;
- a first air duct between the evaporator and the first compartment;
- and
- a return duct between the first compartment and the evaporator to direct above freezing air to the evaporator to defrost said evaporator.
A method of defrosting an evaporator of a cooling system of a refrigerator, comprising:
- providing an air duct and a return duct between the evaporator and a first compartment of the refrigerator having a temperature above freezing;
- directing the above freezing temperature in the return duct to the evaporator;
- and
- redirecting the air from the evaporator through the air duct to the first compartment to aid in cooling the compartment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.