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A refrigerator and a method for controlling a refrigerator are provided. The refrigerator may include a pair of evaporators. When a switching valve operates, one blower fan may be maintained in operation for a predetermined period of time to more quickly collect a refrigerant, thereby realizing an e

A refrigerator and a method for controlling a refrigerator are provided. The refrigerator may include a pair of evaporators. When a switching valve operates, one blower fan may be maintained in operation for a predetermined period of time to more quickly collect a refrigerant, thereby realizing an efficient cycle operation.

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1. A refrigerator, comprising: a body in which a compressor and a condenser are disposed, the body having a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment;a refrigerator compartment-side evaporator disposed in the refrigerator compartment to cool the refrigerator compartment;a refrigerator compa

1. A refrigerator, comprising: a body in which a compressor and a condenser are disposed, the body having a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment;a refrigerator compartment-side evaporator disposed in the refrigerator compartment to cool the refrigerator compartment;a refrigerator compartment-side blower fan to forcibly blow air to heat-exchange the refrigerator compartment-side evaporator with air within the refrigerator compartment;a refrigerator compartment temperature sensor disposed in the refrigerator compartment to measure an internal temperature of the refrigerator compartment;a freezer compartment-side evaporator disposed in the freezer compartment to cool the freezer compartment;a freezer compartment-side blower fan to forcibly blow air to heat-exchange the freezer compartment-side evaporator with air within the freezer compartment;a freezer compartment temperature sensor disposed in the freezer compartment to measure an internal temperature of the freezer compartment;a switching valve that communicates with an outlet of the condenser, the switching valve being branched into the refrigerator compartment-side evaporator and the freezer compartment-side evaporator to selectively supply the refrigerant into an inlet of the refrigerator compartment-side evaporator or an inlet of the freezer compartment-side evaporator according to temperatures of the refrigerator compartment and the freezer compartment; anda controller connected to the refrigerator compartment temperature sensor, the freezer compartment temperature sensor, the switching valve, the refrigerator compartment-side blower fan, and the freezer compartment-side blower fan to control an operation of each of the refrigerator compartment temperature sensor, the freezer compartment temperature sensor, the switching valve, the refrigerator compartment-side blower fan, and the freezer compartment-side blower fan, wherein the operation of the refrigerator compartment-side blower fan stops after the refrigerator compartment-side blower fan additionally operates for a predetermined period of time when the switching valve is switched from a state in which the refrigerant is supplied into the refrigerator compartment-side evaporator to a state in which the refrigerant is supplied into the freezer compartment-side evaporator and while the refrigerant flows into the freezer compartment-side evaporator, so that the refrigerant in the refrigerator compartment-side evaporator is evaporated and more quickly returns to the freezer compartment-side evaporator. 2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising a timer connected to the controller to count an operation time of the refrigerator compartment-side blower fan. 3. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the refrigerator compartment-side evaporator and the freezer compartment-side evaporator are serially connected to each other. 4. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein a refrigerator compartment-side capillary tube and a freezer compartment-side capillary tube, which are connected to the switching valve, are disposed in the inlets of the refrigerator compartment-side evaporator and the freezer compartment-side evaporator, respectively. 5. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the operation of the freezer compartment-side blower fan starts after the operation of the refrigerator compartment-side blower fan stops. 6. A method for controlling a refrigerator in which a refrigerator compartment-side evaporator and a freezer compartment-side evaporator are serially connected to each other so that a refrigerant is selectively supplied into the refrigerator compartment-side evaporator and the freezer compartment-side evaporator by a switching valve, the method comprising: operating a refrigerator compartment-side blower fan to additionally operate for a predetermined period of time so that the refrigerant in the refrigerator compartment-side evaporator is evaporated and more quickly returns to the freezer compartment-side evaporator when the switching valve is switched from a state in which the refrigerant flows into the refrigerator compartment-side evaporator to a state in which the refrigerant flows into the freezer compartment-side evaporator and while the refrigerant flows into the freezer compartment-side evaporator. 7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising, when the switching valve is switched into the state in which the refrigerant flows into the freezer compartment-side evaporator from the state in which the refrigerant flows into the refrigerator compartment-side evaporator, starting operation of a freezer compartment-side blower fan after a predetermined period of time has elapsed. 8. The method according to claim 6 wherein the switching valve communicates with an inlet of each of the refrigerator compartment-side evaporator and the freezer compartment-side evaporator. 9. A refrigerator system, comprising: a compressor to compress a refrigerant;a condenser to condense the compressed refrigerant received from the compressor;a first compartment-side evaporator to cool a first compartment;a first compartment-side blower fan to forcibly blow air to heat-exchange the first compartment-side evaporator with air;a second compartment-side evaporator to cool a second compartment;a second compartment-side blower fan to forcibly blow air to heat-exchange the second compartment-side evaporator with air;a switching valve that communicates with an outlet of the condenser, an inlet of the first compartment-side evaporator, and an inlet the second compartment-side evaporator to selectively supply the refrigerant into the first compartment-side evaporator or the second compartment-side evaporator according to temperatures of the first compartment and the second compartment, wherein operation of the first compartment-side blower fan stops after the first compartment-side blower fan additionally operates for a predetermined period of time when the switching valve is switched from a state in which the refrigerant is supplied into the first compartment-side evaporator to a state in which the refrigerant is supplied into the second compartment-side evaporator and while the refrigerant flows into the second compartment-side evaporator, so that the refrigerant in the first compartment-side evaporator is evaporated and more quickly returns to the second compartment-side evaporator. 10. The refrigerator system according to claim 9, further comprising: a first compartment temperature sensor to detect a temperature of the first compartment; anda second compartment temperature sensor to detect a temperature of the second compartment. 11. The refrigerator system according to claim 10, further comprising: a controller connected to the first compartment temperature sensor, the second compartment temperature sensor, the switching valve, the first compartment-side blower fan, and the second compartment-side blower fan to control an operation of each of the first compartment temperature sensor, the second compartment temperature sensor, the switching valve, the first compartment-side blower fan, and the second compartment-side blower fan. 12. The refrigerator system according to claim 11, further comprising a timer connected to the controller to count an operation time of the first compartment-side blower fan. 13. The refrigerator system according to claim 9, wherein the first compartment-side evaporator and the second compartment-side evaporator are serially connected to each other. 14. The refrigerator system according to claim 9, further comprising a first compartment-side capillary tube and a second compartment-side capillary tube connected to the switching valve and the inlets of the first compartment-side evaporator and the second compartment-side evaporator, respectively. 15. The refrigerator system according to claim 9, wherein operation of the second compartment-side blower fan starts after the operation of the first compartment-side blower fan stops. 16. A refrigerator comprising the refrigerator system of claim 9. 17. Apparatus for controlling a refrigerator in which a refrigerator compartment-side evaporator and a freezer compartment-side evaporator are serially connected to each other so that a refrigerant is selectively supplied into the refrigerator compartment-side evaporator and the freezer compartment-side evaporator by a switching valve, a method comprising: means for operating a refrigerator compartment-side blower fan to additionally operate for a predetermined period of time so that the refrigerant in the refrigerator compartment-side evaporator is evaporated and more quickly returns to the freezer compartment-side evaporator when a state in which the refrigerant flows into the refrigerator compartment-side evaporator is switched by the switching valve to a state in which the refrigerant flows into the freezer compartment-side evaporator, and while the refrigerant flows into the freezer compartment-side evaporator.