A water distribution apparatus and method including cold and hot water supplies, a fan coil (or chilled beam device), a control valve having cold and hot water inlets and outlets, cold and hot water outputs configured to supply cold and hot water to the fan coil, cold and hot water return inlets configured to receive from the fan coil the water supplied by the cold and/or water outputs and outputting the cold and/or hot water to the cold and hot water supply lines, respectively, via the cold and hot water outlets, respectively. Cold and hot water is supplied from the cold and/or hot water outputs to the fan coil and received into the cold and hot water return inlets, respectively, and the cold and hot water supplied by the cold and hot water outputs to the fan coil is output to the cold and hot water supply lines, respectively.

An air conditioner is disclosed. The air conditioner comprises: a compressor for compressing a refrigerant; a discharge pipe for guiding the refrigerant discharged from the compressor; an accumulator for storing the refrigerant flowing into the compressor from an outdoor heat exchanger or an indoor heat exchanger; a suction pipe for guiding the refrigerant discharged from the accumulator to the compressor; a subcooler disposed in a pipe between the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger so as to secure a degree of subcooling of the refrigerant; an injection pipe for guiding a refrigerant superheated in the subcooler to the compressor; and a fixing member provided for fixing the discharge pipe, the suction pipe, and the injection pipe together.

An air conditioner is disclosed. The air conditioner comprises: a compressor for compressing a refrigerant; a discharge pipe for guiding the refrigerant discharged from the compressor; an accumulator for storing the refrigerant flowing into the compressor from an outdoor heat exchanger or an indoor heat exchanger; a suction pipe for guiding the refrigerant discharged from the accumulator to the compressor; a subcooler disposed in a pipe between the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger so as to secure a degree of subcooling of the refrigerant; an injection pipe for guiding a refrigerant superheated in the subcooler to the compressor; and a fixing member provided for fixing the discharge pipe, the suction pipe, and the injection pipe together.

A gas-liquid separation device includes a heat exchange member having a heat exchange tube spirally wound around a first cylinder body. The heat exchange tube includes a first flow passage, a tube wall surrounding the first flow passage, and a first extension portion protruding from the tube wall. A second flow passage is formed between the first cylinder body, the second cylinder body, and the heat exchange tube. The first extension portion is located in the second flow passage. A heat exchange area between the heat exchange tube and a fluid in the second flow passage is increased. The heat exchange effect between a fluid in the first flow passage and the fluid in the second flow passage is improved. A thermal management system having the gas-liquid separation device is also disclosed.

A gas turbine engine has a compressor section, a combustor, and a turbine section. An associated fluid is to be cooled and an associated fluid is to be heated. A transcritical vapor cycle heats the fluid to be heated, and cools the fluid to be cooled. The transcritical vapor cycle includes a gas cooler in which the fluid to be heated is heated by a refrigerant in the transcritical vapor cycle. An evaporator heat exchanger at which the fluid to be cooled is cooled by the refrigerant in the transcritical vapor cycle. A compressor upstream of the gas cooler compresses the refrigerant to a pressure above a critical point for the refrigerant. An expansion device expands the refrigerant downstream of the gas cooler, with the evaporator heat exchanger being downstream of the expansion device, and such that the refrigerant passing through the gas cooler to heat the fluid to be heated is generally above the critical point.

A gas turbine engine has a compressor section, a combustor, and a turbine section. An associated fluid is to be cooled and an associated fluid is to be heated. A transcritical vapor cycle heats the fluid to be heated, and cools the fluid to be cooled. The transcritical vapor cycle includes a gas cooler in which the fluid to be heated is heated by a refrigerant in the transcritical vapor cycle. An evaporator heat exchanger at which the fluid to be cooled is cooled by the refrigerant in the transcritical vapor cycle. A compressor upstream of the gas cooler compresses the refrigerant to a pressure above a critical point for the refrigerant. An expansion device expands the refrigerant downstream of the gas cooler, with the evaporator heat exchanger being downstream of the expansion device, and such that the refrigerant passing through the gas cooler to heat the fluid to be heated is generally above the critical point.

A refrigeration apparatus, including a main circuit (1) for circulation of a main flow (90) of refrigerant, and a lubrication branch (20), comprising a lubrication inlet (21), configured to derive a lubrication flow (91) from the main flow (90) circulating through a supply part (16) of the main circuit; and a lubrication outlet (22), to feed the compressor (2) with the lubrication flow (91) for lubrication. According to the invention, the refrigeration apparatus further includes: a subcooling branch (40), comprising a subcooling inlet (41), connected to an evaporator (8) of the main circuit (1), so as to derive a subcooling flow (92), and a subcooling outlet (42), connected to the evaporator (8), for reintroducing the subcooling flow (92) into the main flow (90); and a subcooling heat exchanger (31).

A refrigeration apparatus, including a main circuit (1) for circulation of a main flow (90) of refrigerant, and a lubrication branch (20), comprising a lubrication inlet (21), configured to derive a lubrication flow (91) from the main flow (90) circulating through a supply part (16) of the main circuit; and a lubrication outlet (22), to feed the compressor (2) with the lubrication flow (91) for lubrication. According to the invention, the refrigeration apparatus further includes: a subcooling branch (40), comprising a subcooling inlet (41), connected to an evaporator (8) of the main circuit (1), so as to derive a subcooling flow (92), and a subcooling outlet (42), connected to the evaporator (8), for reintroducing the subcooling flow (92) into the main flow (90); and a subcooling heat exchanger (31).

A thermal management system is described. The thermal management system includes a receiver configured to store a refrigerant, the receiver having a receiver inlet and a receiver outlet, a closed-circuit refrigeration system including a vapor compression closed-circuit system that includes the receiver, and a closed-circuit system that includes the receiver, wherein the closed-circuit refrigeration system is configurable to receive refrigerant from the receiver through one or both of the vapor compression closed-circuit system and the closed-circuit system.

A thermal management system is described. The thermal management system includes a receiver configured to store a refrigerant, the receiver having a receiver inlet and a receiver outlet, a closed-circuit refrigeration system including a vapor compression closed-circuit system that includes the receiver, and a closed-circuit system that includes the receiver, wherein the closed-circuit refrigeration system is configurable to receive refrigerant from the receiver through one or both of the vapor compression closed-circuit system and the closed-circuit system.