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.

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).

A refrigerating apparatus may include a main body having an interior space in which an article is accommodated, a door configured to open and close an opening of the main body, a compressor configured to compress a non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant, a condenser configured to condense the compressed non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant, a hotline provided at a contact portion between the main body and the door through which the condensed non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant flows, an expander configured to expand the non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant, heat of which is radiated by the hotline, and an evaporator configured to evaporate the expanded non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant to supply cold air to the interior space. According to such structure, even when the non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant is used, a function of the hotline to prevent dew formation may be normally performed with hot refrigerant.

A refrigerating apparatus may include a main body having an interior space in which an article is accommodated, a door configured to open and close an opening of the main body, a compressor configured to compress a non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant, a condenser configured to condense the compressed non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant, a hotline provided at a contact portion between the main body and the door through which the condensed non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant flows, an expander configured to expand the non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant, heat of which is radiated by the hotline, and an evaporator configured to evaporate the expanded non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant to supply cold air to the interior space. According to such structure, even when the non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant is used, a function of the hotline to prevent dew formation may be normally performed with hot refrigerant.

An air-conditioning apparatus includes an outdoor heat exchanger. The outdoor heat exchanger includes a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger. A controller performs a heating operation and a heating-defrosting operation, in which one of the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger functions as an evaporator, an other one the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger functions as a condenser. When a temperature of the indoor heat exchanger by a temperature detection unit is treated as a first temperature, and a temperature of the indoor heat exchanger by the temperature detection unit is treated as a second temperature, the controller reduces a rotation speed of an indoor fan in a case where the second temperature is lower than the first temperature and where a difference between the first temperature and the second temperature is greater than or equal to a first setting value.

A method for defrosting an external heat exchanger, operated as an air heat pump evaporator, of a cooling system for a motor vehicle. The cooling system includes a refrigerant compressor connected to a primary and secondary section; an external heat exchanger; an evaporator; a heating register; a primary section valve which is closed in the air heat pump operation; and a secondary section valve which is open in the air heat pump operation. The method includes closing of the secondary section valve; opening of the primary section valve, so that refrigerant flows directly from the refrigerant compressor to the external heat exchanger; and setting an inlet-side pressure level of the refrigerant on the external heat exchanger to a target pressure which corresponds to a condensation temperature (Tkond) of the refrigerant in the range: 2° C. ≤ Tkond ≤ 20° C., in particular 4° C. ≤ Tkond ≤ 10° C.

A multi-type air conditioner is provided including an outdoor unit and a plurality of indoor units connected to the outdoor unit by a liquid pipe and a gas pipe. The plurality of indoor units includes a first indoor unit including first and second heat exchangers and first and second heat exchanger connecting pipes, and a second indoor unit. An indoor heat exchanger connecting pipe connects the first and second indoor units, and a liquid pipe connecting tube connects the first indoor unit and the liquid pipe. Opening amounts of a first indoor expansion valve, and first and second bypass expansion valves provided in the first indoor unit are opened selectively to operate the first heat exchanger as a condenser and the second heat exchanger as an evaporator to continuously drive a dehumidification mode while maintaining a room temperature within a predefined range.

A multi-type air conditioner is provided including an outdoor unit and a plurality of indoor units connected to the outdoor unit by a liquid pipe and a gas pipe. The plurality of indoor units includes a first indoor unit including first and second heat exchangers and first and second heat exchanger connecting pipes, and a second indoor unit. An indoor heat exchanger connecting pipe connects the first and second indoor units, and a liquid pipe connecting tube connects the first indoor unit and the liquid pipe. Opening amounts of a first indoor expansion valve, and first and second bypass expansion valves provided in the first indoor unit are opened selectively to operate the first heat exchanger as a condenser and the second heat exchanger as an evaporator to continuously drive a dehumidification mode while maintaining a room temperature within a predefined range.

A cooling device includes a number of cooling tubes arranged in parallel such that a first cooling fluid and a second cooling fluid can flow in the cooling tubes. A tank communicates with the cooling tubes to allow the first cooling fluid or the second cooling fluid to flow through the cooling tubes. A diaphragm is located inside the tank to separate the tank into a first space allowing the first cooling fluid to flow therein and a second space allowing the second cooling fluid to flow therein. The diaphragm is coupled to the tank to be rectilinearly movable in a direction of an arrangement of the plurality of cooling tubes.