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 method operates an absorption heat pump system, specifically the flow of hydronic cooling fluid through the condenser during system start-ups, or when the cooling fluid temperature is low. To minimize the time for an absorption heat pump to reach full cooling or heating capacity, it is desirable for the high side pressure to increase as fast as possible, and the low side pressure to decrease as fast as possible. Since the high side pressure is a function of the temperature of the refrigerant exiting the condenser, if the condenser cooling fluid temperature is low, the corresponding high side pressure will be low, which may not permit adequate working fluid flow rates from the high pressure side of the system to the low pressure side.

A method of operating a cooling system that has at least one evaporator containing a refrigerant and at least one adsorbent chamber containing adsorbent configured to provide adsorption of vaporized refrigerant from the at least one evaporator in a cooling mode and provide desorption of the refrigerant to the at least one evaporator in a recharging mode, the method including; controlling the adsorption and desorption of the refrigerant of the at least one adsorbent chamber between the cooling modes and recharging modes during a cooling cycle; ceasing desorption of the refrigerant from the at least one adsorbent chamber; allowing adsorption of the vaporized refrigerant from the at least one evaporator; and maintaining the at least one adsorbent chamber in an adsorbed state at the end of the cooling cycle in a storage mode.

A method of operating a cooling system that has at least one evaporator containing a refrigerant and at least one adsorbent chamber containing adsorbent configured to provide adsorption of vaporized refrigerant from the at least one evaporator in a cooling mode and provide desorption of the refrigerant to the at least one evaporator in a recharging mode, the method including; controlling the adsorption and desorption of the refrigerant of the at least one adsorbent chamber between the cooling modes and recharging modes during a cooling cycle; ceasing desorption of the refrigerant from the at least one adsorbent chamber; allowing adsorption of the vaporized refrigerant from the at least one evaporator; and maintaining the at least one adsorbent chamber in an adsorbed state at the end of the cooling cycle in a storage mode.

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.

Portage storage containers including controlled evaporative cooling systems are described herein. In some embodiments, a portable container including an integral controlled evaporative cooling system includes: a storage region, an evaporative region adjacent to the storage region, a desiccant region adjacent to the outside of the container, and an insulation region positioned between the evaporative region and the desiccant region. A vapor conduit with an attached vapor control unit has a first end within the evaporative region and a second end within the desiccant region. In some embodiments, the controlled evaporative cooling systems are positioned in a radial configuration within the portable container.

A leakage sensor for a heating unit of an absorption cooling device for a recreational vehicle, a heating unit, an absorption cooling device, a vehicle and a method for operating an absorption cooling device are provided. The leakage sensor uses sensor pins to detect cooling fluid leaking from the boiler of the heating unit of the absorption cooling device into the boiler insulation by measuring the electrical resistance and/or conductivity within the boiler insulation.

A leakage sensor for a heating unit of an absorption cooling device for a recreational vehicle, a heating unit, an absorption cooling device, a vehicle and a method for operating an absorption cooling device are provided. The leakage sensor uses sensor pins to detect cooling fluid leaking from the boiler of the heating unit of the absorption cooling device into the boiler insulation by measuring the electrical resistance and/or conductivity within the boiler insulation.

Technologies are described herein for adsorbent-based cooling systems. A cooling system is described that allows for the refrigerant to be adsorbed into the adsorbent to prevent the freezing of the refrigerant.

Technologies are described herein for adsorbent-based cooling systems. A cooling system is described that allows for the refrigerant to be adsorbed into the adsorbent to prevent the freezing of the refrigerant.