Low noise refrigerator and noise control method thereof

A refrigerator having a silencer system comprising:

• a compressor for compressing a refrigerant, the compressor constituting a substantial noise source;
• a machine chamber for accommodating said compressor, wherein the machine chamber is provided with an opening in one location, the machine chamber having a one-dimensional duct construction in which a cross-sectional dimension of the duct is small relative to the wavelength of said compressor noise to be reduced;
• a vibration pick-up for detecting compressor vibrations of said compressor, wherein the compressor vibrations are representative of said compressor noise, the vibration pick-up is mounted on said compressor;
• a control circuit for processing an output signal of said pick-up;
• and
• a sound generator for generating a control sound corresponding to said compressor noise, wherein the sound generator is driven by an output signal from said control circuit.

A refrigerator having a silencer system comprising:

• a compressor for compressing a refrigerant, the compressor constitutes a noise source substantially;
• a suction pipe for introducing the refrigerant to said compressor, wherein the suction pipe is connected to said compressor;
• a machine chamber for accommodating said compressor, wherein the machine chamber is provided with an opening in one location, the machine chamber having a one-dimensional duct construction in which a cross-sectional dimension of the duct is small relative to the wavelength of said compressor noise to be reduced;
• a vibration pick-up for detecting compressor vibrations of said compressor, wherein the compressor vibrations are representative of said compressor noise, the vibration pick-up is mounted on said suction pipe;
• a control circuit for processing an output signal of said pick-up;
• and
• a sound generator for generating a control sound corresponding to said compressor noise, wherein the sound generator is driven by an output signal from said control circuit.

A method for noise controlling a refrigerator equipped with a vibration pick-up located in the vicinity of a compressor and a sound generator provided in a machine chamber of the refrigerator, the machine chamber being provided with an opening in one location and having a one-dimensional duct construction in which a cross-sectional dimension of the duct is sufficiently small relative to the wavelength of a compressor noise to be reduced, the method including the steps of:

• detecting vibrations of the compressor by said vibration pick-up, said vibrations representing the noise generated from said compressor;
• processing an output signal of said vibration pick-up in the time domain by a finite impulse response filter for determining amplitude and phase of a control sound to be generated in response to said compressor noise;
• and
• driving said sound generator to generate said control sound for canceling said compressor noise by said interference action.

A method for reducing compressor noise of a refrigerator equipped with a compressor, located in a machine chamber with an opening on one side, comprising the steps of:

• providing said machine chamber with one dimensional duct construction in which a cross-sectional dimension of the duct is sufficiently small relative to the wavelength of said compressor noise to be reduced;
• detecting vibrations of said compressor with a vibration pick-up located in the vicinity of said compressor, said vibrations corresponding to said compressor noise;
• processing an output signal of said vibration pick-up in the time domain by a finite impulse response filter for determining amplitude and phase of a control sound to be generated in response to said compressor noise;
• and
• driving a sound generator, located in said machine chamber, to generate said controlled sound for canceling said compressor noise by sound interference action.