During operation, the refrigerator forms an accumulation of frozen moisture, which is deposited on the walls in the form of ice, hoarfrost or snow. This is a completely normal phenomenon inherent in the cooling technique of any generation and design. To replace the old-style refrigerators with manual type of defrost came modern units with a drip or wind defrost system.
What is No Frost in the refrigerator
No Frost translated from English - "without hoarfrost" or "no snow." The technology of dry defrosting solves the problem of removing ice that forms on the evaporator, and not inside the chamber. You will learn more about how know frost works in the new refrigerator and what this gives the user by reading the article.
Refrigerator with No Frost system
Principle of operation
The know frost unit has a distinctive design feature, which consists in the presence of a built-in fan. The cooler arranges constant air circulation, cooling the internal chambers. Dry automatic defrosting eliminates frost. The result is obvious: there is no snow coat in the interior of the refrigerator.
There is no ice inside the refrigerator
Cold Source - The air cooler is usually located under the freezer or behind its rear panel. The refrigerator compartment does not have its own evaporator. Every 10 - 15 hours, an electronic or mechanical control timer gives a signal to the process of turning ice into water. The defrost cycle consists of sequential actions:
- Freon moves through the tubes under the influence of a running compressor;
- a fan blows around the evaporator, the air cools, reporting a low temperature to the inner walls, shelves and products;
- when warm air meets the cold stream from the fan due to the temperature difference, condensation forms on the evaporator, which immediately freezes, turning into ice;
- the motor stops, the heating element turns on;
- thaw accumulated frost thaws, water flows down the grooves into the tray above the compressor;
- the active mode starts again, the compressor heats up and promotes the evaporation of liquid in the tank.
Two types of frost frost are built into refrigeration equipment: Frost Free and Full No Frost. In the first case, the main chamber is thawed by the drip method, and the freezer is defrosted by the wind. In the second case, both compartments are equipped with the No Frost system, this applies to two-compressor devices. Such units work more efficiently and have increased power.
Electric circuit
Electric circuit
Refrigerator circuit with No Frost
T - temperature controller (thermal relay)
K - command device or timer
R1, R2 - heating element
F1 - switch
F2 - Fuse
Fan - fan
L - bulb
M - compressor
SA1 - light switch
The figure shows the status of the device with the door closed. Electric current flows to the motor when contacts T, 3 and 4 are closed. The switch is closed, power is supplied to the cooler. The refrigerator opens, the lamp lights up, the fan stops moving.
The compressor will work until the command device disconnects contacts 3 and 4 with the simultaneous closure of contacts 3 and 2, the evaporator defrost heater turns on.When the frost on the air cooler melts, the contacts of the F1 switch will open, the engine of the command device will start, it will connect the circuit to the compressor. The work cycle will resume.
The thermal fuse F2 opens the contacts only in the event of a burner heater. The control device can be either mechanical (thermostat), or with an electronic timer.
Pros and Cons of the No Frost System
Advantages of the function:
- cold air evenly flows to all compartments of the chamber, due to this, the products are more likely to cool;
- after adding warm products and slamming the open door, the temperature difference quickly equalizes;
- there is no condensation on the walls;
- the refrigerator requires minimal maintenance and cleaning.
Air circulates evenly
Perfect, it would seem, technology has not only positive, but also negative qualities:
- increased consumption of electric energy;
- reduced camera capacity due to built-in equipment;
- the circulation of dry air has a bad effect on open products, they can be weathered.
- noise at work.
The noise level is different for all instances, and the installation factor also affects it: on a rough surface or when positioned against a wall, the refrigerator will buzz louder.
Autonomy when removing ice does not save you from the need to do a general cleaning inside several times a year. Before unloading products and washing the shelves, you must disconnect the unit from the power supply and wait until all the frost has thawed. Such a caring attitude will help extend the life of the refrigerator.
Smart frost system
In combined household refrigerators, the innovative Smart Frost technology contributes to reduced frost formation on the walls and contents. A refrigerator with this function is called “smart”: it feels the degree of freezing of products.
Smart Frost Fridge
Why Smart Frost Technology Is Good
The premium models of such a refrigeration device with smart features are made from materials with the best performance. The inner walls and auxiliary surfaces are smooth, easy to clean. Shelves and drawers are removable, which allows you to increase the internal usable volume of the chamber and freeze more products. Manual defrosting of the freezer can hardly be called a plus of the refrigerator with a smart frost system, and the second drawback is the complexity of maintenance and repair.
Before buying, you should consider whether you need an intelligent function or is it easier to choose an understandable No Frost refrigerator.
What is Low Frost?
If you say in Russian, then this system means "low frost". The evaporator in such refrigerators passes through the circuit throughout the freezer and is hidden from view by a plastic wall. Ice is simply not formed, but this is due to the slow and smooth cooling of the air.
Refrigerator with Low Frost system
Operating principle
Features of the device for catching frost:
- the evaporator has no tubes, the walls of the freezer are two-layer;
- Freon enters the evaporator immediately and is distributed throughout the volume;
- the walls of the chamber reach a predetermined temperature level gradually and evenly.
Refrigerator design with the Low Frost system, it differs markedly from conventional models with a tube evaporator. Along with Low Frost technology, a drip defrosting method can also be used.
Advantages and disadvantages
The advantages of Low Frost are few, but significant:
- there are no sudden changes in temperature, therefore, there is little condensate;
- defrosting proceeds quickly and with a minimum of melt water;
- low cost and a wide range of models.
A relative disadvantage can be considered that they design this system only in freezers. The layer of ice gradually builds up, no matter how evenly the air and products cool. Every six months, it is necessary to forcibly defrost the unit, completely freeing it from snow.
Use sharp objects and force pieces of ice to be torn off, otherwise important parts will be damaged and the refrigerator will have to be repaired.
Total no frost
Advanced models of refrigerators are produced by LG and Whirlpool.The total know frost program is designed for long-term storage of products in a natural form, without total freezing. The Multi Air Flow ventilation system forces the cooled air to spread throughout the chamber and bring products on any shelf and drawers on the door to the desired temperature. The maximum temperature rise in different areas is not more than one degree.
Refrigerator with Total No Frost system
Is it worth buying a defrost-free refrigerator
The procedure for monthly manual defrosting of the refrigerator is so exhausting and annoying that at one point the thought arises of buying modern equipment. What to do in such a situation: buy a model with drip defrosting, combined or full-fledged No Frost?
A refrigerator, which independently cyclically thaws frost and evaporates moisture, is more expensive due to its design features. Its power consumption will be higher, since the compressor turns on more often and works longer.
With the know frost function, you will forget how the snow coat looks on the walls of the main compartment and inside the freezer. Frozen foods do not have to be torn apart from each other, it will be enough just to get the right bag or container.
Inside the compartments there is no increased humidity, and the food is kept fresh longer, but for this it will need to be placed in the refrigerator only in packed, closed form.
Proper product preparation
It’s quite difficult to understand the terminology of modern household appliances, because there are dozens of options and devices. No Frost, Low Frost, Smart Frost and other technologies help to make a person's life more convenient, comfortable and easier.
