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Manufacturers have developed several cooling systems in the refrigerator. Some of them are used more often, others less often: we will analyze each in detail so that you can make the right choice. It is important for each buyer to know the principle of operation of the equipment and the type of cooling in order to choose the best option.
Principles of operation of refrigeration in refrigerators
The schemes and principle of operation of the cooling system depend on refrigerator type. There are four main ones (we wrote more about this in a separate article):
- Compression. Most modern refrigerators. They work from a compressor (sometimes two), which creates enough pressure to circulate the refrigerant through the system – this is how the chamber is cooled. To complete the cycle, the refrigerant must turn back into a gas. To do this, there is an external condenser (grille on the back wall) or internal (protected by a special plate). The condenser creates heat, causing the liquid to turn into a gas. Scheme of operation of the compressor refrigerator:
- Absorption. Works without a compressor: the refrigerant moves through the system due to the operation of the heat exchanger. It consumes much more electricity 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 chamber, the more energy must be spent. Thermoelectric cooling is used in small refrigerators for cosmetics.
- The vortex type had the right to life, but did not go beyond the test installations due to low efficiency and high noise. In special chambers, the air compressed by the compressor expanded. This is how the cooling happened.
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 own chamber: upper or lower. The cooling system in them can be of three types. Let’s take a look at each of them below.
Which system is better
The cooling device affects the quality and shelf life of products, as well as the frequency of defrosting. If ice and snow often freeze in the chamber, then weekly defrosting is required. To avoid this, you need to choose a refrigerator with the right system.
static type
It is also called Direct Cool or “weeping wall”.
Static cooling has stood the test of time. Due to the built-in evaporator in the rear wall and the operation of the compressor, the temperature in the compartment decreases. Since the back wall is cold, condensation accumulates on its surface. Then the moisture drops flow into the drainage hole and are removed from the chamber.
Many people confuse the static type with drip. In fact, the drip system is a defrost. When the condensate freezes on the wall, and then thaws and flows down the drain.
The temperature regime allows you 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 refrigerator compartment is defrosted by drip, and the freezer compartment has to be defrosted manually.
According to the manufacturers, the static unit needs to be defrosted twice a year.
The disadvantage of the static system is the uneven distribution of temperature in the chamber. The cold stream goes down, so if you immediately load the shelves with warm products, the device will take a long time to reach the desired temperature.
The advantage is the preservation of moisture in the products. Even if you put uncovered berries or vegetables, they will retain their appearance the next day.
No Frost
No Frost technology is the most popular today. Manufacturers decided to make life easier for housewives by inventing a refrigerator that does not need to be defrosted.
The principle of operation is as follows: the radiator is located in the chamber. The air is forcibly driven by fans through the evaporator – there it is cooled and passes into the chamber. The advantage of this type is a uniform temperature distribution due to the spread of the air flow.
All the moisture that has been accumulated by the air settles on the evaporator. After turning off the motor, the sensor is activated and the defrost heater is turned on. Moisture flows down the drain and out of the refrigerator.
Thus, ice and snow do not freeze on the walls of the compartment. However, if food is left uncovered, it will quickly weather and lose moisture.
There are also more advanced technologies. The principle of operation is the same as that of Nou Frost, only a ventilation hole is organized in the chamber at the level of each shelf. Such multi-threaded cooling allows you to maintain the optimal temperature everywhere. These are Air Flow, Multi Air Flow and others technologies.
Dynamic type
The dynamic scheme of work is similar to the static one, only more perfect. In the refrigerator section 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, they began to produce refrigeration equipment with a hybrid combined system. For example, static cooling is organized in the refrigerator compartment, and No Frost is organized in the freezer. So the user does not have to manually defrost. The manufacturers of Electrolux technology is called Frost Free.
Important! Do not think that a refrigerator with No Frost or Frost Free does not need to be defrosted at all. At least once a year, they must be turned off for 24 hours, washed, treat for mold and unpleasant odours.
If you choose the right equipment with an optimal cooling system, the operation of the device will be convenient and enjoyable. Take care of the internal chamber of the refrigerator, do not allow dirt to dry out, which becomes a source of unpleasant odor.