Refrigerator appliance self-optimizing control scheme

A refrigerator appliance, comprising:

• a compressor within a sealed cooling system;
• and
• a controller operatively coupled to the sealed cooling system, the controller configured to selectively control the refrigerator appliance according to an operation routine comprising:
• operating the compressor for a first portion of a period of time;
• measuring a temperature at an evaporator of the sealed system while operating the compressor for the first portion of the period of time;
• deactivating the compressor for a second portion of the period of time;
• determining an actual duty cycle of the compressor based on a ratio of the first portion of the period of time to the period of time;
• determining an optimal duty cycle of the compressor based on the measured temperature at the evaporator;
• comparing the actual duty cycle of the compressor to the optimal duty cycle;
• and
• adjusting a speed of the compressor based on the comparison of the actual duty cycle to the optimal duty cycle.