Refrigerator, and method for controlling operation of the same

A refrigerator, comprising:

• a compressor being operated to compress refrigerants into high temperature high pressure gas refrigerants;
• a condenser being operated to condense the refrigerants compressed in the compressor into high temperature high pressure liquid refrigerants;
• a decompression device being operated to expand the refrigerants condensed in the condenser into low temperature low pressure liquid refrigerants;
• an evaporator being operated to evaporate the refrigerants expanded in the decompression device into low temperature low pressure gas refrigerants, wherein a heat exchange region of the evaporator is divided into a freezing chamber side region and a refrigerating chamber side region by a blocking plate;
• a freezing chamber circulation passage formed in the refrigerator and being operated to supply cool air from the freezing chamber side region into a freezing chamber, wherein a freezing chamber fan is installed in the freezing chamber circulation passage and is being operated to direct cool air to the freezing chamber;
• a refrigerating chamber circulation passage formed in the refrigerator that is separate from the freezing chamber circulation passage, wherein the refrigerating chamber circulation passage is being operated to supply cool air from the refrigerating chamber side region into a refrigerating chamber, wherein a refrigerating chamber fan is installed in the refrigerating chamber circulation passage and is being operated to direct cool air to the refrigerating chamber, wherein the decompression device comprises a freezing expansion means and a refrigerating expansion means installed side by side between the condenser and the evaporator to combine refrigerant tubes formed at the front and rear ends, the freezing expansion means and the refrigerating expansion means being different in capacity;
• and
• a valve device installed between the condenser and the freezing expansion means and the refrigerating expansion means, wherein the valve device is being operated to selectively supply the refrigerants from the condenser to the freezing expansion valve or the refrigerating expansion valve, and wherein, in a freezing and refrigerating mode for making a temperature of the freezing chamber and a temperature of the refrigerating chamber reach a set freezing temperature and a set refrigerating temperature, respectively, the valve device directs the refrigerants to pass through the freezing expansion means, the freezing chamber fan is continuously operated, and the refrigerating chamber fan is operated and stopped at intervals of a predetermined period of time.