A system for generating a concentrated product from a feedstock includes a feedstock chamber to which the feedstock is provided, a heat exchanger assembly in thermal communication with the feedstock chamber, the heat exchanger assembly being configured to freeze the feedstock in the feedstock chamber, an output flow arrangement configured to carry liquid from the feedstock chamber as the feedstock thaws, the output flow arrangement comprising a flow controller, a sensor disposed along the output flow arrangement or the heat exchanger assembly, the sensor being configured to measure a characteristic of the liquid, the characteristic being indicative of a solute concentration level of the liquid or the heat exchanger assembly, and a processor responsive to the characteristic and configured to control the flow controller to, based on the solute concentration level, direct the liquid passing through the output flow arrangement to define a plurality of products at different concentration levels, the plurality of products comprising the concentrated product.

A system for generating a concentrated product from a feedstock includes a feedstock chamber to which the feedstock is provided, a heat exchanger assembly in thermal communication with the feedstock chamber, the heat exchanger assembly being configured to freeze the feedstock in the feedstock chamber, an output flow arrangement configured to carry liquid from the feedstock chamber as the feedstock thaws, the output flow arrangement comprising a flow controller, a sensor disposed along the output flow arrangement or the heat exchanger assembly, the sensor being configured to measure a characteristic of the liquid, the characteristic being indicative of a solute concentration level of the liquid or the heat exchanger assembly, and a processor responsive to the characteristic and configured to control the flow controller to, based on the solute concentration level, direct the liquid passing through the output flow arrangement to define a plurality of products at different concentration levels, the plurality of products comprising the concentrated product.

There is provided a HVAC system comprising: a fluid circuit for conveying a refrigerant; a compressor for compressing the refrigerant; three heat exchangers defining an evaporator, an outdoor exchanger and a heat recovery exchanger provided along the fluid circuit; an expansion valve provided along the fluid circuit; and a receiver connected in parallel to the expansion valve, wherein a fill valve is located between the receiver and a connection upstream of the expansion valve and a drain valve is located between the receiver and a connection downstream of the expansion valve; wherein the fluid circuit comprises a plurality of valves which are configured to be controlled based on a selected operating mode such that at least one of the outdoor exchanger and the heat recovery exchanger is connected to a discharge line of the compressor and in series with one of the other heat exchangers which is connected to a suction line of the compressor, with the expansion valve disposed between the heat exchangers; wherein the fill and drain valves are configured to be controlled to store a volume of refrigerant in the receiver so as to provide an effective refrigerant charge in the fluid circuit that corresponds to the selected operating mode.

A system and method of controlling temperature of a medium by refrigerant vaporization, the system including a container, at least one a refrigerant reservoir having at least one reservoir section that includes a wall with an exterior surface structured to be thermally coupled with a volume of the medium in the container and to provide a volume of medium thermal coverage in the container, a vapor pressure apparatus to provide regulation of refrigerant vapor pressure in the at least one refrigerant reservoir, whereby the refrigerant reservoir forms a vapor space in each of the at least one reservoir section in response to receiving refrigerant and to the vapor pressure apparatus regulation of vapor pressure above the refrigerant to enable refrigerant vaporization at or near a selected temperature of the volume of medium in the container that is thermally coupled to the respective reservoir section.

The invention provides a system for energy distribution that uses liquid carbon dioxide as a working fluid. Evaporation of the carbon dioxide provides cooling, and compression of the carbon dioxide gas back to the liquid state provides heat. The amount of heat transferred at both stages is sufficient to provide environmental heating and cooling. Waste thermal energy from a power plant, in the form of hot water, is fed into the system and used to drive the overall process. An underground thermal energy storage system is used to store energy flowing into the system that is in excess of the current demand.

A dual-mode heating and cooling system includes a dual-mode heating and cooling device including a cooling part and a heating part that are configured to be selectively exposed to sunlight in a cooling mode and a heating mode, respectively, with the cooling part configured to provide radiative cooling to a structure, and with the heating part configured to provide solar heating to the structure.

A heat pump system provides at least six modes of heating, cooling, and/or domestic water heating operation, where domestic water heating may occur concurrently with heating or cooling a space in a structure. The heat pump system comprises a desuperheater positioned downstream of the compressor and operable as a desuperheater, a condenser or an evaporator, a source heat exchanger operable as either a condenser or an evaporator, a load heat exchanger operable as either a condenser or an evaporator, a reversing valve positioned downstream of the desuperheater heat exchanger and configured to alternately direct refrigerant flow from the desuperheater heat exchanger to one of the load heat exchanger and the source heat exchanger and to alternately return refrigerant flow from the other of the load heat exchanger and the source heat exchanger to the compressor, and an expansion valve positioned between the load heat exchanger and the source heat exchanger.

A single-stage carbon dioxide multi-split cooling and heating multifunctional central air conditioner, comprising a single-stage carbon dioxide circulation system using carbon dioxide as a circulation working medium; the single-stage carbon dioxide circulation system comprises an outdoor unit and a plurality of end heat exchangers provided in parallel; and the carbon dioxide medium performs cooling and/or heating in a circulating manner in a carbon dioxide compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, a liquid storage tank and the end heat exchangers which are in communication with one another.

A cooling device using a refrigeration cycle in which a refrigerant is circulated through a heat receiver, a compressor, a heat radiator, and an expansion valve includes: a gas-liquid separator configured to perform gas-liquid separation on the refrigerant supplied from the expansion valve; a pump configured to send a liquid phase refrigerant separated by the gas-liquid separator to the heat receiver; and a control unit configured to control opening and closing of a refrigerant flow path of the refrigeration cycle, and an operation and stop of the compressor and the pump, wherein the control unit starts the operation of the pump on condition that a net positive suction head of the pump has reached a predetermined value or more.

A refrigeration cycle apparatus (1) is capable of performing a refrigeration cycle using a small-GWP refrigerant. The refrigeration cycle apparatus (1) includes a refrigerant circuit (10) and a refrigerant enclosed in the refrigerant circuit (10). The refrigerant circuit includes a compressor (21), a condenser (23), a decompressing section (24), and an evaporator (31). The refrigerant contains at least 1,2-difluoroethylene.