# US 2021/0239384 A1 · Refrigerator > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0239384 A1 - Document ID: US20210239384A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/168,354 - Filed: 2021-02-05 - Published: 2021-08-05 - Earliest claimed: 2020-02-05 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Junwoo SUH - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210239384A1 ## CPC - F25D 21/12: by hot-fluid circulating system separate from the refrigerant system - F25D 21/006: {with electronic control circuits} - F25D 21/14: Collecting or removing condensed and defrost water; Drip trays - F28D 1/0408: {Multi-circuit heat exchangers, e.g. integrating different heat exchange sections in the same unit or heat exchangers for more than two fluids (F28F9/0234 takes precedence)} - F28D 1/0477: {the conduits being bent in a serpentine or zig-zag} - F28D 15/02: in which the medium condenses and evaporates, e.g. heat pipes {(heat pipes used in solar heat collectors F24S10/95; in radiators F28D1/0226; in nuclear reactors G21C15/257)} - F28F 1/325: {Fins with openings} - F28F 19/006: {Preventing deposits of ice} - F25D 2321/146: characterised by the pipes or pipe connections - F28D 2021/0071: {Evaporators} - F25D: REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (refrigerated showcases A47F3/04; thermally-insulated vessels for domestic use A47J41/00; refrigerated vehicles, see the appropriate subclasses of classes B60 - B64; containers with thermal insulation in general B65D81/38; heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials, e.g. refrigerants, or materials for the production of heat or cold by chemical reactions other than by combustion C09K5/00; thermally-insulated vessels for liquefied or solidified gases F17C; air-conditioning or air-humidification F24F; refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25B; cooling of instruments or comparable apparatus without refrigeration G12B) - F28D: HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT (fluid heaters having heat generating means and heat transferring means F24H; furnaces F27; details of heat-exchange apparatus of general) - F28F: DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION (water and air traps, air venting F16) ## Abstract A refrigerator includes a storage space, an evaporator configured to cool air in the storage space based on heat exchange of a refrigerant, and a defroster configured to remove frost formed on the evaporator. The defroster incudes a pipe extended around the evaporator and including a circulation channel through which working fluid circulates, a fluid storage including a first opening and a second opening respectively communicating with opposite end portions of the pipe and configured to store the working fluid, and a pumping part disposed at a selected position on the circulation channel of the pipe between the evaporator and the fluid storage and configured to vaporize the working fluid to circulate the vaporized working fluid in the circulation channel. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A refrigerator comprising: a storage space; an evaporator configured to cool air in the storage space based on heat exchange of a refrigerant; and a defroster configured to remove frost formed on the evaporator, the defroster comprising: a pipe extended around the evaporator and comprising a circulation channel through which working fluid circulates; a fluid storage comprising a first opening and a second opening respectively communicating with opposite end portions of the pipe, and configured to store the working fluid; a pumping part disposed at a selected position on the circulation channel of the pipe between the evaporator and the fluid storage, and configured to vaporize the working fluid to circulate the vaporized working fluid in the circulation channel. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the first opening of the fluid storage is positioned lower than the second opening of the fluid storage, and the pumping part is disposed at a selected position on the circulation channel between the first opening of the fluid storage and the evaporator. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the pipe around the evaporator is disposed at an upper position than a position of the fluid storage. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the first opening is disposed lower than a level of the working fluid stored in the fluid storage, and the second opening is disposed higher than the level of the working fluid stored in the fluid storage. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the pumping part comprises: a thermal conductive part comprising a fluid passage through which the working fluid passes; and a heater configured to generate heat to vaporize the working fluid in the pumping part. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The refrigerator according to claim 5, wherein the thermal conductive part comprises at least one of aluminum, copper or iron. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The refrigerator according to claim 5, wherein the defroster further comprises a drain plate disposed below the evaporator and configured to collect defrosted water from the frost melted by the vaporized working fluid. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The refrigerator according to claim 7, wherein at least one of the thermal conductive part or the fluid storage is in contact with the drain plate. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The refrigerator according to claim 5, wherein the pumping part further comprises a pipe connector configured to connect the pipe to the fluid passage of the thermal conductive part. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The refrigerator according to claim 9, wherein the pipe connector comprises a lower thermal-conductivity material than a material of the pipe. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The refrigerator according to claim 9, wherein the pipe connector comprises a material of low thermal conductivity, and the pipe comprises a material of high thermal conductivity. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the pipe is a first pipe, the circulation channel is a first circulation channel, and the defroster further comprises at least one second pipe extended around the evaporator and comprising a second circulation channel which the working fluid circulates. ### Claim 13 (depends on 5) The refrigerator according to claim 5, wherein the fluid passage is a first fluid passage and the pumping part further comprises a second fluid passage through which the working fluid of the second pipe passes. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the pipe is a first pipe extended around a first area of the evaporator, and the defroster further comprises a second pipe extended around a second area of the evaporator, the fluid storage is a first fluid storage disposed on a circulation channel between a first end portion of the first pipe and a first end portion of the second pipe, the pumping part is a first pumping part disposed on a circulation channel between the first area and the first opening of the first fluid storage, and the defroster comprises: a second fluid storage disposed on a circulation channel between a second end portion of the first pipe and a second end portion of the second pipe, and configured to store the working fluid; and a second pumping part disposed on the circulation channel of the second pipe part between the second fluid storage and the second area. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the fluid storage is a first fluid storage configured to store a first working fluid, the pipe is a first pipe extended around a first area of the evaporator, the pumping part is a first pumping part disposed on a first circulation channel between the first area of the evaporator and the first fluid storage, and the defroster further comprises: a second pipe extended around a second area of the evaporator, and comprising a second circulation channel in which a second working fluid circulates; a second fluid storage comprising a third opening and a fourth opening respectively communicating with opposite end portions of the second pipe, and configured to store second working fluid; and a second pumping part disposed at a selected position on the second circulation channel of the second pipe between the second area of the evaporator and the second fluid storage, and configured to vaporize the second working fluid to circulate the vaporized second working fluid in the second circulation channel. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The refrigerator according to claim 15, wherein the first pumping part comprises a first thermal conductive part comprising a first fluid passage through which working fluid of the first pipe passes, the second pumping part comprises a second thermal conductive part comprising a second fluid passage through which working fluid of the second pipe passes, and the defroster further comprises a heater interposed between the first thermal conductive part and the second thermal conductive part. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the pipe is a first pipe, the pumping part is a first pumping part, the fluid storage further comprises a third opening and a fourth opening, and the defroster further comprises: a second pipe extended around the evaporator, and comprising opposite end portions respectively communicating with the third opening and the fourth opening of the fluid storage, and a second circulation channel in which the working fluid flows between the opposite end portions; and a second pumping part disposed at a selected position on the second circulation channel of the second pipe between the evaporator and the fluid storage, and configured to vaporize the working fluid to circulate the vaporized working fluid in the second circulation channel. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the pumping part is configured to move the vaporized working fluid along a circulation channel a direction away from the fluid storage. ### Claim 19 (depends on 2) The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the pumping part is disposed closer to the first opening than the second opening. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the pumping part is configured to pump the working fluid based on expansion and contraction of the working fluid.