An apparatus using a heat pump includes a refrigerant circuit and a heat medium circuit. The refrigerant circuit is allowed to perform a first operation, in which a load-side heat exchanger is used as a condenser, and a second operation, in which the load-side heat exchanger is used as an evaporator. A container is provided to a suction pipe provided between a refrigerant flow switching device and a compressor. To the heat medium circuit, an overpressure protection device and a refrigerant leakage detecting device are connected. When leakage of refrigerant into the heat medium circuit is detected, the refrigerant flow switching device is switched to a second state, an expansion device is set to a closed state, and the compressor is made in operation. When a requirement for ending the operation of the compressor is satisfied after the leakage of the refrigerant into the heat medium circuit is detected, the compressor is set to a stopped state, and the refrigerant flow switching device is switched to a first state.

A reversible flow heat exchange system includes a heat exchanger system that includes a canister configured to receive a first fluid from a machine and a heat exchanger disposed within the canister. The reversible flow heat exchange system also includes a cooling system coupled to the heat exchanger and configured to circulate a second fluid between the heat exchanger system and the cooling system and a reversing valve coupled to the heat exchanger and configured to selectively direct a flow of the first fluid in a first direction through the canister and in a second direction through the canister that is opposite the first direction.

A refrigeration cycle apparatus includes a refrigerant circuit, a high-side pressure sensor, an outside air temperature sensor, an outdoor fan, a fan driving unit, and a controller. The controller includes a pressure prediction unit that predicts, based on a high-side pressure detected by the high-side pressure sensor, a predicted value of high-side pressure at the elapse of a set time, a fan rotation speed control unit that, during cooling operation in which an indoor heat exchanger acts as an evaporator, adjusts the rotation speed of the fan driving unit based on the outside air temperature detected by the outside air temperature sensor and the operating capacity of an indoor unit, and an intermittent fan control unit that, if the fan driving unit is running at a set lower limit rotation speed, and if the high-side pressure is below a target value, controls the fan driving unit to perform intermittent operation, the intermittent operation being performed by setting an ON time and an OFF time such that the predicted value predicted by the pressure prediction unit approaches the target value.

A method and system for improving energy efficiency of a refrigeration system include system components such as a condenser, one or more expansion valves, an evaporator, one or more compressors, and a system controller electrically coupled to the one or more of the system components, according to one embodiment. The system controller is configured to selectively actuate, directly or indirectly, the one or more expansion valves, the condenser, and/or the one or more compressors, at least partially based on temperatures and/or pressures of the system fluid at various points of the system, to control a temperature of a refrigerated area.

A predictive failure system for a cooling apparatus having sensors measuring operational components of a cooling apparatus to determine performance data and means to analyze the data to determine a performance profile, wherein anomalies in the performance profile are determined and the operator of the cooling apparatus is warned prior to failure of the operational components.

A cryocooler includes a displacer, a cylinder that forms an expansion space, a Scotch yoke mechanism configured to drive the displacer in a reciprocating manner, a first rod that extends from the Scotch yoke mechanism, a housing that includes an assist chamber, a rotary valve configured to switch between a state in which the expansion space and a discharge side of a compressor are connected and the assist chamber and a suction side of the compressor are connected and a state in which the expansion space and the suction side of the compressor are connected and the assist chamber and the discharge side of the compressor are connected, a motor configured to drive the Scotch yoke mechanism and the rotary valve, and an on-off valve configured to open and close a gas flow path through which the rotary valve and the assist chamber are connected.

A thermodynamic system for cooling or heating at least a first container containing food products of the liquid or semi-liquid type, including a circuit employing a heat exchanger fluid, having at least: a compressor having at least one inlet for the heat exchanger fluid and one outlet for the heat exchanger fluid; a first heat exchanger connected to the outlet of the compressor; at least one first expansion element connected to an outlet of the first heat exchanger; a second heat exchanger which can be associated with the first container and which has an inlet connected to an outlet of the at least one first expansion element; a return duct having an inlet portion connected to an outlet of the second heat exchanger and an outlet portion connected to the inlet of the compressor.

The device (100) for pre-cooling a flow of a gas comprises: a separator (135) of a coolant flow (125), downstream from a compressor (155), into two flows: one coolant flow (140) referred to as medium-pressure; and one coolant flow (145) referred to as low-pressure; a first exchanger (105) exchanging heat between the flow (120) of the gas to be pre-cooled and at least the medium-pressure coolant flow (140) comprising at least nitrogen; an expander (150) of the low-pressure coolant flow; a second exchanger (110) exchanging heat between the flow of a gas and the expanded low-pressure coolant flow on output from the second expander; and a third exchanger (115) exchanging heat between the flow of a gas and the low-pressure coolant flow on output from the second heat exchanger.

An apparatus and a method for detecting refrigerant leakage in an air source heat pump system. The method for detecting refrigerant leakage in an air source heat pump system includes the following steps in a cooling mode: S110: obtaining a running parameter of an air source heat pump system, wherein the running parameter at least includes a compressor rotational speed; S120: comparing the running parameter with a preset running parameter range; S130: updating a cumulative score when the running parameter falls within the preset running parameter range; and S140: when the cumulative score exceeds a predetermined cumulative score, determining that refrigerant leakage occurs, and when the cumulative score does not exceed the predetermined cumulative score, return to step S110.

A refrigeration cycle apparatus includes a refrigerant circuit, a high-side pressure sensor, an outside air temperature sensor, an outdoor fan, a fan driving unit, and a controller. The controller includes a pressure prediction unit that predicts, based on a high-side pressure detected by the high-side pressure sensor, a predicted value of high-side pressure at the elapse of a set time, a fan rotation speed control unit that, during cooling operation in which an indoor heat exchanger acts as an evaporator, adjusts the rotation speed of the fan driving unit based on the outside air temperature detected by the outside air temperature sensor and the operating capacity of an indoor unit, and an intermittent fan control unit that, if the fan driving unit is running at a set lower limit rotation speed, and if the high-side pressure is below a target value, controls the fan driving unit to perform intermittent operation, the intermittent operation being performed by setting an ON time and an OFF time such that the predicted value predicted by the pressure prediction unit approaches the target value.