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 is a small-GWP refrigerant.

A heat exchanger comprising a pair of metal plates joined along corresponding mating surfaces, wherein at least one of the metal plates comprises a plurality of connected recesses which form a fluid circuit between the plates when the plates are joined, wherein the fluid circuit comprises an inlet, an inlet manifold, an outlet, an outlet manifold, and a plurality of flowpaths extending between and fluidly connecting the inlet manifold and outlet manifold, and wherein one or more of the plurality of flowpaths comprise a fluid passage and a flow constriction and wherein a ratio of the hydraulic diameter of the flow constriction to the hydraulic diameter of the fluid passage increases with increasing distance from the inlet.

A heat exchanger comprising a pair of metal plates joined along corresponding mating surfaces, wherein at least one of the metal plates comprises a plurality of connected recesses which form a fluid circuit between the plates when the plates are joined, wherein the fluid circuit comprises an inlet, an inlet manifold, an outlet, an outlet manifold, and a plurality of flowpaths extending between and fluidly connecting the inlet manifold and outlet manifold, and wherein one or more of the plurality of flowpaths comprise a fluid passage and a flow constriction and wherein a ratio of the hydraulic diameter of the flow constriction to the hydraulic diameter of the fluid passage increases with increasing distance from the inlet.

A refrigeration cycle cools a battery. A controller controls a refrigerant flow rate flowing through a battery cooling system so as to adjust a temperature of the battery. The controller adjusts the refrigerant flow rate flowing in the battery cooling system so that the oil retained in the battery cooling system is flushed toward the compressor. The battery cooling system has a plurality of parallel systems. Electric expansion valves as flow adjusting valves are controlled so as to intermittently provide an oil-back operation. In the oil-back operation, the flow rate of the refrigerant flowing through a part among the plurality of parallel systems is increased more than a flow rate of the refrigerant flowed by a temperature control unit.

A refrigeration cycle device includes a heating unit, an air-heating expansion valve, an outdoor heat exchanger, an air-cooling expansion valve, an indoor evaporator, and a cooler-unit expansion valve, a cooler unit, and a refrigerant circuit switching unit. In a heating series cooler-unit mode, refrigerant is circulated in order of the heating unit, the air-heating expansion valve, the outdoor heat exchanger, the cooler-unit expansion valve, and the cooler unit. In a heating parallel cooler-unit mode, refrigerant is circulated in order of the heating unit, the air-heating expansion valve, and the outdoor heat exchanger, and refrigerant is circulated in order of the heating unit, the cooler-unit expansion valve, and the cooler unit.

A refrigeration cycle device includes a heating unit, an air-heating expansion valve, an outdoor heat exchanger, an air-cooling expansion valve, an indoor evaporator, and a cooler-unit expansion valve, a cooler unit, and a refrigerant circuit switching unit. In a heating series cooler-unit mode, refrigerant is circulated in order of the heating unit, the air-heating expansion valve, the outdoor heat exchanger, the cooler-unit expansion valve, and the cooler unit. In a heating parallel cooler-unit mode, refrigerant is circulated in order of the heating unit, the air-heating expansion valve, and the outdoor heat exchanger, and refrigerant is circulated in order of the heating unit, the cooler-unit expansion valve, and the cooler unit.

A retrofit heat pump system for a water heater is disclosed. The heat pump system includes a plurality of evaporators to increase the efficiency of heat exchange for the system. The system can also include a plurality of condenser circuits used to heat the water of an existing water tank. A fan disposed in a housing of the heat pump system can draw air across the plurality of evaporators and exhaust cool air external to the heat pump system. The cool air can be exhausted into duct work associated with an air conditioning system of the home. The disclosure also describes a refrigerant distributor for providing uniform liquid refrigerant to the plurality of evaporators.

A retrofit heat pump system for a water heater is disclosed. The heat pump system includes a plurality of evaporators to increase the efficiency of heat exchange for the system. The system can also include a plurality of condenser circuits used to heat the water of an existing water tank. A fan disposed in a housing of the heat pump system can draw air across the plurality of evaporators and exhaust cool air external to the heat pump system. The cool air can be exhausted into duct work associated with an air conditioning system of the home. The disclosure also describes a refrigerant distributor for providing uniform liquid refrigerant to the plurality of evaporators.

A temperature control apparatus for supplying fluid to control a temperature of at least one semiconductor wafer within a semiconductor processing chamber, the temperature control apparatus comprising: a mixed refrigerant refrigeration system; the temperature control apparatus being configured to supply the mixed refrigerant to at least one conditioning circuit within the semiconductor processing chamber and to receive the mixed refrigerant from the at least one conditioning circuit. The temperature control apparatus comprises a temperature control circuitry for controlling a temperature of the at least one conditioning circuit to one of a plurality of predetermined temperatures, at least one of the temperatures being below -100° C., the temperature control circuitry being configured to control the temperature of the at least one conditioning circuit by controlling at least one of a mass flow rate, composition or temperature of the mixed refrigerant supplied to the at least one conditioning circuit.

The invention relates to a refrigerant circuit (1), in particular for use in a vehicle, preferably a motor vehicle, comprising: an air conditioning compressor (2), a main condenser (4), at least one connectable condenser (5), and a switching means (3) which is designed to connect one or more of the switchable condensers (5) to the refrigerant circuit (1), wherein a pressure equalising means (6) is configured to equalise an internal pressure of the at least one connectable condenser (5) with an internal pressure of the main condenser (4).