A heat pump includes an evaporator with an evaporator inlet and an evaporator outlet; a compressor for compressing operating liquid evaporated in the evaporator; and a condenser for condensing evaporated operating liquid compressed in the compressor, wherein the condenser includes a condenser inlet and a condenser outlet, wherein the evaporator inlet is connected to a return from a region to be heated, and wherein the condenser inlet is connected to a return from a region to be cooled.

A method and an apparatus and a computer program product are provided that can monitor thermal mass or thermal energy sources available at remotely-located equipment using wired or wirelessly connected sensors. The method may include to receiving measurements captured by one or more sensors coupled to the equipment, the measurements including measurements indicating remaining quantities of thermal mass or thermal energy sources available for use by the equipment, monitoring replenishment events in which the thermal mass or thermal energy sources are resupplied, generating a thermal efficiency and usage or characteristic describing thermal efficiency and a cycle of usage of the thermal mass or thermal energy sources based on historical measurements of thermal efficiency and quantities of thermal mass or thermal energy sources consumed and stored by the equipment and a history of replenishment events, and scheduling one or more replenishment events based on the usage characteristic.

A method and an apparatus and a computer program product are provided that can monitor thermal mass or thermal energy sources available at remotely-located equipment using wired or wirelessly connected sensors. The method may include to receiving measurements captured by one or more sensors coupled to the equipment, the measurements including measurements indicating remaining quantities of thermal mass or thermal energy sources available for use by the equipment, monitoring replenishment events in which the thermal mass or thermal energy sources are resupplied, generating a thermal efficiency and usage or characteristic describing thermal efficiency and a cycle of usage of the thermal mass or thermal energy sources based on historical measurements of thermal efficiency and quantities of thermal mass or thermal energy sources consumed and stored by the equipment and a history of replenishment events, and scheduling one or more replenishment events based on the usage characteristic.

The purpose of the invention is to provide a control device that can calculate the lower limit of cooling water inlet temperature according to the operation status of a chiller. A control device comprises: a lower limit calculation unit that calculates the lower limit of cooling water outlet temperature, where a prescribed required temperature difference is added to the cooling water outlet temperature of a chiller, and an inlet-outlet required temperature difference, which is the difference between the cooling water outlet temperature and the cooling water inlet temperature in the chiller and which is generated according to the operation status of the chiller, and that calculates a cooling water inlet temperature lower limit calculated value for the chiller by subtracting the inlet-outlet required temperature difference from the cooling water outlet temperature lower limit value; and a lower limit value determination unit that fixes the cooling water inlet temperature lower limit calculated value as the cooling water inlet temperature lower limit value.

The purpose of the invention is to provide a control device that can calculate the lower limit of cooling water inlet temperature according to the operation status of a chiller. A control device comprises: a lower limit calculation unit that calculates the lower limit of cooling water outlet temperature, where a prescribed required temperature difference is added to the cooling water outlet temperature of a chiller, and an inlet-outlet required temperature difference, which is the difference between the cooling water outlet temperature and the cooling water inlet temperature in the chiller and which is generated according to the operation status of the chiller, and that calculates a cooling water inlet temperature lower limit calculated value for the chiller by subtracting the inlet-outlet required temperature difference from the cooling water outlet temperature lower limit value; and a lower limit value determination unit that fixes the cooling water inlet temperature lower limit calculated value as the cooling water inlet temperature lower limit value.

A heat transfer method uses a heat transfer system including: a heat source unit in which heat is exchanged between a heat transfer medium and a heat source; a utilization unit in which heat is exchanged between the heat transfer medium and a temperature adjustment target; and a first flow path and a second flow path that connect the heat source unit and the utilization unit. The heat transfer medium flows through the first flow path from the heat source unit to the utilization unit, and flows through the second flow path from the utilization unit to the heat source unit. In the heat transfer method, inorganic hydrate slurry, in which an inorganic hydrate that absorbs heat when dissolved in water is mixed with water, is used as the heat transfer medium.

A refrigeration machine oil composition may have good lubricating properties and sufficiently reduce friction even when a base oil containing a low-viscosity mineral oil is used and/or prevent seizure between sliding members. Such refrigeration machine oil compositions may contain a base oil containing a mineral oil, (A) at least one type selected from a specific neutral phosphate ester and an amine salt thereof, and (B) at least one type selected from a specific acidic phosphate ester, an acidic phosphite ester, and an amine salt thereof, and having a kinematic viscosity at 40° C. in a range of from 1.0 to 6.0 mm.sup.2/s.

Thermal management systems include an open-circuit refrigeration system featuring a receiver configurable to store a refrigerant fluid, an evaporator configurable to extract heat from a heat load when the heat load contacts the evaporator, and an exhaust line, where the receiver, the evaporator, and the exhaust line are connected to form a refrigerant fluid flow path, and a first control device configurable to control a vapor quality of the refrigerant fluid at an outlet of the evaporator along the refrigerant fluid flow path.

Thermal management systems include an open-circuit refrigeration system featuring a receiver configurable to store a refrigerant fluid, an evaporator configurable to extract heat from a heat load when the heat load contacts the evaporator, and an exhaust line, where the receiver, the evaporator, and the exhaust line are connected to form a refrigerant fluid flow path, and a first control device configurable to control a vapor quality of the refrigerant fluid at an outlet of the evaporator along the refrigerant fluid flow path.

The present disclosure relates to a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system having a heat exchanger configured to thermally regulate a supply air flow, where the heat exchanger includes a thermoelectric device, a first plurality of fins coupled to the thermoelectric device, and a second plurality of fins coupled to the thermoelectric device. The first plurality of fins extend into a supply air flow path of the supply air flow to transfer thermal energy between the thermoelectric device and the supply air flow and the second plurality of fins convectively transfer thermal energy between the thermoelectric device and a working fluid exterior the supply air flow path.