A refrigerator includes a main body that has a storage chamber and a drying chamber; a thermoelectric module that includes a heat absorber and a heat dissipater; a cooling fan that circulates air in the storage chamber to the heat absorber and the storage chamber; a heat-dissipating fan that blows air to the heat dissipater; an air guide that has a passage for guiding air heated by the heat dissipater to the drying chamber; a heater that is disposed in the passage; and a damper that controls a flow of air in the passage between the heat-dissipating fan and the heater. Heat of the heat dissipater transfers to the drying chamber through the passage of the air guide and the damper, thereby being able to dry an object to be dried.

A system and a method for a hybrid heat pump system including first compression means operable to form a refrigerant in vapor form and increases the pressure of the refrigerant vapor; condensing means arranged to receive the pressurized vapor and condenses the vapor under pressure to a liquid; pressure reduction means through which the liquid refrigerant leaving the condensing means passes to reduce the pressure of the liquid to form a mixture of liquid and vapor refrigerant; evaporator means arranged to receive the mixture of liquid and vapor refrigerant that passes through the pressure reduction means to evaporate the remaining liquid to form additional refrigerant vapor; second compression means including an inlet port and two, first and second outlet ports and operable to: receive the refrigerant vapor from the evaporator means through the inlet port; increase the pressure thereof; and pass at least a portion of the refrigerant vapor to at least one of the condensing means and the first compression means through the first and second outlet ports respectively; and a conduit operable to pass at least one of the refrigerant vapor leaving the evaporator means and the refrigerant vapor leaving the second compression means to the first compression means.

A system and a method for a hybrid heat pump system including first compression means operable to form a refrigerant in vapor form and increases the pressure of the refrigerant vapor; condensing means arranged to receive the pressurized vapor and condenses the vapor under pressure to a liquid; pressure reduction means through which the liquid refrigerant leaving the condensing means passes to reduce the pressure of the liquid to form a mixture of liquid and vapor refrigerant; evaporator means arranged to receive the mixture of liquid and vapor refrigerant that passes through the pressure reduction means to evaporate the remaining liquid to form additional refrigerant vapor; second compression means including an inlet port and two, first and second outlet ports and operable to: receive the refrigerant vapor from the evaporator means through the inlet port; increase the pressure thereof; and pass at least a portion of the refrigerant vapor to at least one of the condensing means and the first compression means through the first and second outlet ports respectively; and a conduit operable to pass at least one of the refrigerant vapor leaving the evaporator means and the refrigerant vapor leaving the second compression means to the first compression means.

The solar augmented chilled-water cooling system comprises a refrigeration cycle, a cooling tower, an air handling unit (AHU), a supplemental cycle and a solar energy harvesting unit. The supplemental cycle is in fluid communication with the refrigeration cycle, which is in fluid communication with the cooling tower, which in turn is in fluid communication with the supplemental cycle. The cooling tower cools a water stream by evaporation. The water stream from the cooling tower is passed to the supplemental cycle for further cooling using energy from the solar energy harvesting unit. The water stream is then passed to a condenser of the refrigeration cycle for its efficient operation at proper temperature. The water stream is then retuned back to the cooling tower to be re-cooled. In the refrigeration cycle, an evaporator uses operation of the associated condenser for providing cooling effect through the AHU.

The solar augmented chilled-water cooling system comprises a refrigeration cycle, a cooling tower, an air handling unit (AHU), a supplemental cycle and a solar energy harvesting unit. The supplemental cycle is in fluid communication with the refrigeration cycle, which is in fluid communication with the cooling tower, which in turn is in fluid communication with the supplemental cycle. The cooling tower cools a water stream by evaporation. The water stream from the cooling tower is passed to the supplemental cycle for further cooling using energy from the solar energy harvesting unit. The water stream is then passed to a condenser of the refrigeration cycle for its efficient operation at proper temperature. The water stream is then retuned back to the cooling tower to be re-cooled. In the refrigeration cycle, an evaporator uses operation of the associated condenser for providing cooling effect through the AHU.

A system and a method for a hybrid heat pump system including first compression means operable to form a refrigerant in vapor form and increases the pressure of the refrigerant vapor; condensing means arranged to receive the pressurized vapor and condenses the vapor under pressure to a liquid; pressure reduction means through which the liquid refrigerant leaving the condensing means passes to reduce the pressure of the liquid to form a mixture of liquid and vapor refrigerant; evaporator means arranged to receive the mixture of liquid and vapor refrigerant that passes through the pressure reduction means to evaporate the remaining liquid to form first and second portions of refrigerant vapor; second compression means including two, first and second inlet ports and an outlet port and operable to: receive at least a portion of the refrigerant vapor from the evaporator means, the pressurized vapor from the first compression means, and the vapor refrigerant from the condensing means through the first and second inlet ports respectively; increase the pressure thereof; and pass the pressurized vapor to the condensing means through the outlet port; and a conduit operable to pass a portion of the refrigerant vapor leaving the first compression means to the second compression means.

A system and a method for a hybrid heat pump system including first compression means operable to form a refrigerant in vapor form and increases the pressure of the refrigerant vapor; condensing means arranged to receive the pressurized vapor and condenses the vapor under pressure to a liquid; pressure reduction means through which the liquid refrigerant leaving the condensing means passes to reduce the pressure of the liquid to form a mixture of liquid and vapor refrigerant; evaporator means arranged to receive the mixture of liquid and vapor refrigerant that passes through the pressure reduction means to evaporate the remaining liquid to form first and second portions of refrigerant vapor; second compression means including two, first and second inlet ports and an outlet port and operable to: receive at least a portion of the refrigerant vapor from the evaporator means, the pressurized vapor from the first compression means, and the vapor refrigerant from the condensing means through the first and second inlet ports respectively; increase the pressure thereof; and pass the pressurized vapor to the condensing means through the outlet port; and a conduit operable to pass a portion of the refrigerant vapor leaving the first compression means to the second compression means.

A system and a method for a hybrid heat pump system including first compression means operable to form a refrigerant in vapor form and increases the pressure of the refrigerant vapor; condensing means arranged to receive the pressurized vapor and condense the vapor under pressure to a liquid; pressure reduction means through which the liquid refrigerant leaving the condensing means passes to reduce the pressure of the liquid to form a mixture of liquid and vapor refrigerant; evaporator means arranged to receive the mixture of liquid and vapor refrigerant that passes through the pressure reduction means to evaporate the remaining liquid to form refrigerant vapor; second compression means including two, first and second inlet ports and an outlet port and operable to: receive at least a portion of the refrigerant vapor from the evaporator means and the pressurized vapor from the first compression means through the first and second inlet ports respectively; increase the pressure thereof; and pass the pressurized vapor to the condensing means through the outlet port; and a conduit operable to pass a portion of the refrigerant vapor leaving the first compression means to the second compression means.

A system and a method for a hybrid heat pump system including first compression means operable to form a refrigerant in vapor form and increases the pressure of the refrigerant vapor; condensing means arranged to receive the pressurized vapor and condenses the vapor under pressure to a liquid; pressure reduction means through which the liquid refrigerant leaving the condensing means passes to reduce the pressure of the liquid to form a mixture of liquid and vapor refrigerant; evaporator means arranged to receive the mixture of liquid and vapor refrigerant that passes through the pressure reduction means to evaporate the remaining liquid to form additional refrigerant vapor; second compression means including an inlet port and two, first and second outlet ports and operable to: receive the refrigerant vapor from the evaporator means through the inlet port; increase the pressure thereof; and pass at least a portion of the refrigerant vapor to at least one of the condensing means and the first compression means through the first and second outlet ports respectively; and a conduit operable to pass at least one of the refrigerant vapor leaving the evaporator means and the refrigerant vapor leaving the second compression means to the first compression means.

A system and a method for a hybrid heat pump system including first compression means operable to form a refrigerant in vapor form and increases the pressure of the refrigerant vapor; condensing means arranged to receive the pressurized vapor and condenses the vapor under pressure to a liquid; pressure reduction means through which the liquid refrigerant leaving the condensing means passes to reduce the pressure of the liquid to form a mixture of liquid and vapor refrigerant; evaporator means arranged to receive the mixture of liquid and vapor refrigerant that passes through the pressure reduction means to evaporate the remaining liquid to form additional refrigerant vapor; second compression means including an inlet port and two, first and second outlet ports and operable to: receive the refrigerant vapor from the evaporator means through the inlet port; increase the pressure thereof; and pass at least a portion of the refrigerant vapor to at least one of the condensing means and the first compression means through the first and second outlet ports respectively; and a conduit operable to pass at least one of the refrigerant vapor leaving the evaporator means and the refrigerant vapor leaving the second compression means to the first compression means.