Methods, systems, and device for cycle enhancement are provided in accordance with various embodiments. Various embodiments generally pertain to refrigeration and heat pumping. Different embodiments may be applied to a variety of heat pump architectures. Some embodiments may integrate with vapor compression heat pumps in industrial, commercial, and/or residential applications. Some embodiments include a method that may include at least: removing a first heat from a vapor compression cycle; utilizing the first removed heat from the vapor compression cycle to drive a thermally driven heat pump; or removing a second heat from the vapor compression cycle utilizing the thermally driven heat pump to reduce a temperature of a refrigerant of the vapor compression cycle below an ambient temperature.

A thermal management system includes an open-circuit refrigeration system including a cooling system configured to supply a cooling medium. The open-circuit refrigeration system includes a receiver having a receiver outlet, the receiver configurable to store a refrigerant fluid, the receiver configured to receive the cooling medium from the cooling system, an evaporator coupled to the receiver outlet, the evaporator configurable to receive liquid refrigerant fluid from the receiver outlet and to extract heat from a heat load when the heat load contacts or is proximate to the evaporator a control device configurable to control a temperature of the heat load and an exhaust line, with the receiver, the evaporator, and the exhaust line coupled to form an open-circuit refrigerant fluid flow path.

A method of operating a refrigeration and heating system (2a, 2b) comprises: circulating a refrigerant through a refrigeration circuit (4) which comprises in the direction of flow of the circulating refrigerant: at least one compressor (6a, 6b, 6c); a refrigeration circuit side (8a) of a coupling heat exchanger (8); at least one gas cooler (10); at least one expansion device (12, 14); and at least one evaporator (16); circulating a heating fluid through a heating circuit (20) which comprises a heating circuit side (8b) of the coupling heat exchanger (8) and at least one heat consumer (22); wherein the coupling heat exchanger (8) is configured for transferring heat from the circulating refrigerant to the circulating heating fluid. The method further includes increasing the temperature of the refrigerant entering the at least one gas cooler (10) in order to meet increased heating demands by allowing at least a portion of the heating fluid to flow directly from an outlet to an inlet of the heating circuit side (8b) of the coupling heat exchanger (8) bypassing the at least one heat consumer (22) or by allowing at least a portion of the refrigerant circulating through the refrigeration circuit (4) to bypass the coupling heat exchanger (8).

An HVAC system is disclosed, comprising: (a) a compressor, (b) a source heat exchanger for exchanging heat with a source fluid, (c) a first load heat exchanger operable for heating/cooling air in a space, (d) a second load heat exchanger for heating water, (e) first and second reversing valves, (f) first and second 3-way valves, (f) a bi-directional electronic expansion valve, (g) a first bi-directional valve, and (h) a second bi-directional valve to modulate exchange of heat in the first load heat exchanger when operating as an evaporator and to control flashing of the refrigerant entering the source heat exchanger when operating as an evaporator, (h) a source pump for circulating the source fluid through the first load heat exchanger, (i) a water pump for circulating water through the second load heat exchanger, and (j) a controller to control operation of the foregoing.

A charge-verification system for a circuit including a condenser having an inlet, an outlet, and a coil circuit tube extending between the inlet and the outlet is provided. The charge-verification system may include a first of coil temperature sensor located on the coil circuit tube a first distance from the inlet and a second of coil temperature sensor located on the coil circuit tube a second distance from the inlet. The charge-verification system may also include a controller receiving a first signal from the first temperature sensor indicative of a first temperature and a second signal from the second temperature sensor indicative of a second temperature. The controller may determine which of the first signal and the second signal is closer to an actual saturated condensing temperature of the condenser.

Disclosed herein is a refrigeration cycle includes a first refrigerant circuit configured to cause a refrigerant ejected from a compressor to flow through a condenser, an ejector, a first evaporator, and a second evaporator and flow back to the compressor; a second refrigerant circuit configured to cause the refrigerant to bypass the first evaporator in the first refrigerant circuit; and a third refrigerant circuit branching at a junction provided at a downstream end of the condenser from at least one of the first refrigerant circuit and the second refrigerant circuit, and configured to cause the refrigerant to flow through an expansion device and a third evaporator and flow to the ejector. By such configuration, a coefficient of performance (COP) of a refrigeration cycle may be improved and an ejector may be used to improve energy efficiency.

Disclosed herein is a refrigeration cycle includes a first refrigerant circuit configured to cause a refrigerant ejected from a compressor to flow through a condenser, an ejector, a first evaporator, and a second evaporator and flow back to the compressor; a second refrigerant circuit configured to cause the refrigerant to bypass the first evaporator in the first refrigerant circuit; and a third refrigerant circuit branching at a junction provided at a downstream end of the condenser from at least one of the first refrigerant circuit and the second refrigerant circuit, and configured to cause the refrigerant to flow through an expansion device and a third evaporator and flow to the ejector. By such configuration, a coefficient of performance (COP) of a refrigeration cycle may be improved and an ejector may be used to improve energy efficiency.

A refrigeration cycle apparatus includes refrigerant circuits in which a high pressure shell compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, an expansion valve, and an indoor heat exchanger are connected; a mixed refrigerant containing 1,1,2-trifluoroethylene and a refrigerant other than 1,1,2-trifluorothylene and circulating through the refrigerant circuits; and a refrigerating machine oil enclosed in the refrigerant circuits and adjusted such that 1,1,2-trifluoroethylene will be more soluble therein than the other refrigerant is.

A refrigeration cycle apparatus includes refrigerant circuits in which a high pressure shell compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, an expansion valve, and an indoor heat exchanger are connected; a mixed refrigerant containing 1,1,2-trifluoroethylene and a refrigerant other than 1,1,2-trifluorothylene and circulating through the refrigerant circuits; and a refrigerating machine oil enclosed in the refrigerant circuits and adjusted such that 1,1,2-trifluoroethylene will be more soluble therein than the other refrigerant is.

A refrigeration cycle apparatus according to the present invention includes a refrigerant circuit formed by connecting, by pipes, a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant sucked into the compressor and discharge the refrigerant, a condenser configured to cause the refrigerant to reject heat and condense the refrigerant, an electronic expansion valve configured to reduce a pressure of the condensed refrigerant, and an evaporator configured to cause the refrigerant to remove heat and evaporate the refrigerant, in which the refrigerant is a refrigerant mixture including R32 and HFO-1123, and in the refrigerant mixture, R32 is greater than HFO-1123 in mass %.