A turbo economizer adapted to be used in a chiller system includes a nozzle, a turbine, and an economizer impeller. The nozzle introduces refrigerant into the turbo economizer. The turbine is disposed downstream of the nozzle, and the turbine is attached to a shaft rotatable about a rotation axis. A flow of the refrigerant introduced through the nozzle drives the turbine to rotate the shaft. The economizer impeller is attached to the shaft so as to be rotated in accordance with rotation of the shaft. In the turbo economizer, the nozzle reduces a pressure of the refrigerant such that a pressure of the refrigerant entering the turbo economizer is lower than a predetermined pressure, at least some of the refrigerant passes through the nozzle is introduced into the economizer impeller, and the economizer impeller increases a pressure of the refrigerant introduced thereinto to the predetermined pressure.

A turbo economizer adapted to be used in a chiller system includes a nozzle, a turbine, and an economizer impeller. The nozzle introduces refrigerant into the turbo economizer. The turbine is disposed downstream of the nozzle, and the turbine is attached to a shaft rotatable about a rotation axis. A flow of the refrigerant introduced through the nozzle drives the turbine to rotate the shaft. The economizer impeller is attached to the shaft so as to be rotated in accordance with rotation of the shaft. In the turbo economizer, the nozzle reduces a pressure of the refrigerant such that a pressure of the refrigerant entering the turbo economizer is lower than a predetermined pressure, at least some of the refrigerant passes through the nozzle is introduced into the economizer impeller, and the economizer impeller increases a pressure of the refrigerant introduced thereinto to the predetermined pressure.

The present disclosure relates to apparatuses and methods for multi-phase vacuum-assisted recovery of refrigerant from a vehicle. One apparatus for multi-phase vacuum-assisted recovery of refrigerant from a vehicle includes a compressor that removes refrigerant from the vehicle during a first phase and a second phase of a recovery process. The apparatus also includes one or more pressure sensitive devices that are each configured to measure a first pressure and/or a second pressure in the apparatus. Upon the first pressure being less than a first threshold pressure, a vacuum pump that is fluidly connected in series with the compressor assists the compressor in the removal of refrigerant from the vehicle during a second stage of the recovery process. Also, upon the second pressure being less than a second threshold pressure, the vacuum pump ceases assisting the compressor.

If a gas-liquid separation structure is introduced into a phase-change cooling device to prevent the cooling performance from decreasing, manufacturing costs increase; therefore, a refrigerant intermediary device according to an exemplary aspect of the present invention includes a refrigerant container configured to contain refrigerant; a first inlet, provided for an outer periphery of the refrigerant container, through which a vapor-phase refrigerant and a first liquid-phase refrigerant flowing in; a first outlet, provided for the outer periphery of the refrigerant container, through which the vapor-phase refrigerant flowing out; a second inlet, provided for the outer periphery of the refrigerant container, through which a second liquid-phase refrigerant flowing in; and a second outlet, provided for the outer periphery of the refrigerant container, through which the first liquid-phase refrigerant and the second liquid-phase refrigerant flowing.

In a thermodynamic cycle with at least one first heat exchanger for creating a first heated or partially evaporated working medium flow by heating or partially evaporating a liquid working medium flow by heat transmission from an expanded working medium flow; a second heat exchanger for creating a second at least partially evaporated working medium flow; a separator for separating a liquid from a vaporous phase of the second flow; and an expansion device for creating an expanded vaporous phase, pressure pulsations are prevented during the start-up of the cycle in that the vaporous phase separated by the separator is conducted past the expansion device and the first heat exchanger. The liquid phase separated by the separator is cooled in the first heat exchanger by heat transfer to the liquid flow. After the first heat exchanger, the cooled, separated, liquid phase and the separated vaporous phase are brought together.

A refrigeration apparatus uses R32 as a refrigerant, and includes a compressor, a condenser, an expansion mechanism, an evaporator and an accumulator. The accumulator is disposed in the suction flow path supplying refrigerant to the compressor. The accumulator has a casing that forms an inside space to separate the refrigerant into gas refrigerant and liquid refrigerant and accumulating surplus refrigerant, an inlet pipe feeding the refrigerant that has evaporated in the evaporator into the inside space, and an outlet pipe channeling the separated gas refrigerant to the compressor. A distal end opening in the inlet pipe of the accumulator is located in a height position separated by a dimension from a bottom of the inside space. The dimension is 0 to 0.3 times a height dimension of the inside space.

A refrigeration apparatus uses R32 as a refrigerant, and includes a compressor, a condenser, an expansion mechanism, an evaporator and an accumulator. The accumulator is disposed in the suction flow path supplying refrigerant to the compressor. The accumulator has a casing that forms an inside space to separate the refrigerant into gas refrigerant and liquid refrigerant and accumulating surplus refrigerant, an inlet pipe feeding the refrigerant that has evaporated in the evaporator into the inside space, and an outlet pipe channeling the separated gas refrigerant to the compressor. A distal end opening in the inlet pipe of the accumulator is located in a height position separated by a dimension from a bottom of the inside space. The dimension is 0 to 0.3 times a height dimension of the inside space.

An air conditioner may include a compressor that compresses a refrigerant; a condenser that condenses the refrigerant discharged from the compressor; at least one expansion valve that expands the refrigerant passed through the condenser; at least one gas-liquid separation pipe through which the refrigerant passed through the at least one expansion valve flows; a gas-liquid separator, into which the refrigerant passed through the at least one gas-liquid separation pipe is introduced, that separates and discharges the refrigerant introduced into the gas-liquid separator into gas refrigerant and liquid refrigerant; and an evaporator that evaporates the liquid refrigerant discharged from the gas-liquid separator. The gas refrigerant discharged from the gas-liquid separator and the refrigerant passed through the evaporator may be provided to the compressor.

An air conditioner may include a compressor that compresses a refrigerant; a condenser that condenses the refrigerant discharged from the compressor; at least one expansion valve that expands the refrigerant passed through the condenser; at least one gas-liquid separation pipe through which the refrigerant passed through the at least one expansion valve flows; a gas-liquid separator, into which the refrigerant passed through the at least one gas-liquid separation pipe is introduced, that separates and discharges the refrigerant introduced into the gas-liquid separator into gas refrigerant and liquid refrigerant; and an evaporator that evaporates the liquid refrigerant discharged from the gas-liquid separator. The gas refrigerant discharged from the gas-liquid separator and the refrigerant passed through the evaporator may be provided to the compressor.

An air conditioning and water producing system includes a heat pumping unit and a membrane contactor in thermal communication with the heat pumping unit. The membrane contactor is configured such that a first brine flow is cooled by the heat pumping unit and diluted at the membrane contactor. A distiller is in thermal communication with the heat pumping unit and the membrane contactor such that a second brine flow is heated by the heat pumping unit and conveyed through the distiller. Thermal interaction between the second brine flow and the first brine flow flowing through the distiller extracts water from the second brine flow.