Refrigerator

Overview

A refrigerator maintains a cold interior by continuously pumping heat out of an insulated box and rejecting it to the room. The Cabinet is the insulated body and doors, with foam-filled walls and magnetic gaskets that seal in the cold. Inside it the Interior holds the shelves, crisper bins, and lighting, while the Refrigeration Circuit, the sealed vapor-compression system, does the actual cooling.

How it works

The refrigeration circuit moves heat with a refrigerant that boils at low temperature. An inverter compressor draws cold, low-pressure vapor from the evaporator and compresses it to a hot, high-pressure gas. That gas flows to the condenser coil on the back or base of the cabinet, where it sheds heat to the room and condenses to liquid. The liquid then passes through a capillary restriction, dropping in pressure, and enters the evaporator inside the cabinet, where it boils and absorbs heat from the stored food and air. Variable-speed inverter control lets the compressor run slowly and steadily at the exact load, which is quieter and more efficient than fixed-speed cycling.

The Evaporator Fan blows air across the cold evaporator and distributes it through ducts to both compartments, while the Condenser Fan pulls room air over the condenser to speed heat rejection. To stop ice from insulating the evaporator, the Defrost System periodically warms it with a heater and drains the meltwater away, the basis of frost-free operation.

The Main Control Board reads compartment thermistors and sequences the compressor, fans, dampers, and defrost timer. An Ice & Water System supplies cubes and chilled water, and four Leveling Foot feet square the cabinet so the doors self-close.