Manufacturers have developed several cooling systems in the refrigerator. Some of them are used more often, others are less frequent: we will analyze each in detail, so that you can make the right choice. It is important for every customer to know the principle of operation of the equipment and the type of cooling in order to choose the best option.
Principles of cooling in refrigerators
Schemes and operation principle of the cooling system depend ontype of refrigerator. There are four main ones (we wrote more about this in a separate article):
- Compression. Most modern refrigerators. Operate from a compressor (sometimes two), which creates sufficient pressure to circulate the refrigerant through the system - this is how the cooling of the chamber takes place. To complete the cycle, the refrigerant must again turn into gas. For this, there is an external condenser (grill on the rear wall) or an internal (protected by a special plate). The condenser creates heat, causing the liquid to become a gas. Scheme of the compressor refrigerator:
- Absorption. Works without a compressor: the refrigerant moves through the system thanks to the heat exchanger. Electricity consumes much more than the previous version.
- Thermoelectric. Inside the refrigerator there are plates that heat up when electricity is supplied. The method is inefficient for household appliances: the larger the volume of the camera, the more energy you need to expend. Thermoelectric cooling is used in smallrefrigerators for cosmetics.
- The vortex type had the right to life, but did not go beyond the test setups due to low efficiency and strong noise. In special chambers, the air compressed by the compressor expanded. So it was cooling.
The compression refrigerator can be equipped with one or two motors. In a two-circuit device, each motor is responsible for the operation of its camera: the top or bottom. The cooling system in them can be of three types. Below, we will consider each of them.
Which system is best
The cooling device affects the quality and shelf life of products, as well as the frequency of defrosting. If ice and snow often enter the cell, then a weekly defrost is required. To avoid this, you need to choose a refrigerator with the correct system.
Static type
It is also called Direct Cool or "weeping wall".
Static cooling is time-tested. Due to the built-in evaporator in the rear wall and the operation of the compressor, the temperature in the compartment decreases. Since the rear wall is cold, condensation accumulates on its surface. Then drops of moisture drain into the drainage hole and are removed from the chamber.
Many confuse the static type with the drip type. In fact, the drip system is defrosting. When condensation freezes on the wall, and then thaws and drains into the sink.
The temperature mode allows to set the regulator if the control is electromechanical. Electronic control implies the presence of buttons and a display. Defrosting in this case is carried out semi-automatically. The refrigerating compartment thaws by a dropping method, and the freezing compartment must be thawed by hand.
According to manufacturers, it is necessary to perform defrosting of a static unit twice a year.
The disadvantage of a static system is the uneven distribution of temperature in the chamber. The cold flow goes down, so if you immediately load the shelves with warm food, the appliance will take a long time to reach the desired temperature.
The advantage is the preservation of moisture in the products. Even if you put unopened berries or vegetables, the next day they will retain their appearance.
No Frost
No Frost technology is the most popular today. Manufacturers decided to ease the mistress of life by inventing a refrigerator that does not need to be defrosted.
The principle of operation is as follows: the radiator is in the chamber. The air is forced by fans through the evaporator - there it cools and passes into the chamber. The advantage of this type is the uniform distribution of temperature due to the spread of air flow.
All the moisture that was accumulated by air settles on the evaporator. After the motor is switched off, the sensor is activated and the defrost heater is switched on. Moisture drains into the sink and is drained from the refrigerator.
Thus, ice and snow do not settle on the walls of the compartment. However, if you put the products uncovered, they quickly become obsolete and lose moisture.
There are also more advanced technologies. The principle of operation is the same as that of Noe Frost, only in the chamber at the level of each shelf is the ventilation opening. Such multi-threaded cooling allows maintaining the optimum temperature everywhere. This technology is Air Flow, Multi Air Flow and others.
Dynamic type
Dynamic scheme of work is similar to static, only more perfect. In the refrigeration department there is a fan, as in the case of No Frost, which allows air to be distributed throughout the chamber. Otherwise, there are no differences.
Recently, refrigeration equipment with a hybrid combined system has been produced. For example, in the refrigerator department static cooling is organized, and in the freezing Noau Frost. So the user does not have to manually deal with defrosting. The producers of Electrolux technology is called Frost Free.
Important! Do not think that a refrigerator with No Frost or Frost Free does not need defrosting at all. At least once a year they must be turned off for 24 hours, washed,moldand unpleasant odors.
If you choose the right equipment with the optimal cooling system, the operation of the device will be convenient and pleasant. Take care of the inner chamber of the refrigerator, do not allow the drying up of contaminants that become a source of unpleasant odor.
