An apparatus includes a first expander, a first load, a first work recovery compressor, a valve, and a first compressor. The first expander expands a refrigerant. The first load uses the refrigerant to cool a space proximate the first load. The work recovery compressor compresses the refrigerant from the first load and is driven by the first expander. The valve reduces the pressure of the refrigerant from the work recovery compressor. The first compressor compresses the refrigerant from the valve.

Low-temperature refrigeration device arranged in a frame and comprising a working circuit forming a loop and containing a working fluid, the working circuit forming a cycle comprising in series: a compression mechanism, a cooling mechanism, an expansion mechanism and a heating mechanism, the device comprising a refrigeration heat exchanger intended to extract heat from at least one member by exchanging heat with the working fluid, the mechanisms for cooling and reheating the working fluid comprising a common heat exchanger in which the working fluid transits in counter-flow in two separate transit portions of the working circuit, the compression mechanism comprising at least two compressors and at least one motor for driving the compressors, the working fluid expansion mechanism comprising at least one rotary turbine, the device comprising at least one drive motor comprising a drive shaft, one end of which drives a compressor and the other end of which is coupled to a turbine, the motor being attached to the frame at at least one fixed point, the common heat exchanger being attached to the frame at at least one fixed point, the two counter-flow transit portions of the common heat exchanger being orientated in a longitudinal direction of the frame, the drive shaft of the drive motor being orientated in a direction parallel or substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction and the turbine and the compressor being arranged relatively longitudinally such that the turbine is located longitudinally on the side corresponding to the relatively cold end of the common heat exchanger when the device is being operated and the compressor is located longitudinally on the side corresponding to the relatively hot end of the common heat exchanger when the device is being operated.

A system includes a pressure exchanger (PX) configured to receive a first fluid at a first pressure, receive a second fluid at a second pressure, and exchange pressure between the first fluid and the second fluid. The first fluid is to exit the PX at a third pressure and the second fluid is to exit the PX at a fourth pressure. The system further includes a first heat exchanger configured to provide the first fluid to the PX and provide corresponding thermal energy from the first fluid to a third fluid. The system further includes a turbine configured to receive the third fluid output from the first heat exchanger. The turbine is further configured to convert corresponding thermal energy of the third fluid into kinetic energy.

A fluid handling system includes a pressure exchanger (PX) configured to receive a first fluid at a first pressure and a second fluid at a second pressure and exchange pressure between the first fluid and the second fluid. The system further includes a condenser configured to provide corresponding thermal energy from the first fluid to a corresponding environment. The system further includes a receiver to receive the first fluid output by the PX. The receiver forms a chamber to separate the first fluid into a first gas and a first liquid. The system further includes a first booster to increase pressure of a portion of the first gas to form the second fluid at the second pressure and provide the second fluid at the second pressure to the PX.

A cooling system includes a heat exchanger through which a refrigerant flows, the heat exchanger having a fluid passing therethrough such that heat is rejected to the fluid, an evaporator, a refrigerant piping split point that receives the refrigerant at a given pressure from the heat exchanger and splits the refrigerant flow into a first circuit and a second circuit, the first circuit having an expansion valve that receives the refrigerant at the given pressure, and the second circuit having a first turbine coupled to a first compressor, wherein the first turbine receives the refrigerant at the given pressure, and a set of valves arranged to direct the refrigerant through the first circuit, the second circuit, or both the first and second circuits based on ambient conditions of the cooling system.

Disclosed is a low-temperature refrigeration device comprising a working circuit that forms a loop and contains a working fluid the working circuit forming a cycle which includes, connected in series: a compression mechanism, a cooling mechanism, an expansion mechanism and a heating mechanism, the device further comprising a refrigeration heat exchanger for extracting heat from at least one member by exchanging heat with the working fluid flowing in the working circuit, the compression mechanism comprising two separate compressors, the mechanism for cooling the working fluid comprising two cooling heat exchangers which are arranged respectively at the outlet of the two compressors and ensure heat exchange between the working fluid and a cooling fluid, each cooling heat exchanger comprising a cooling fluid inlet and a cooling fluid outlet, characterized in that the cooling fluid outlet of one of the two cooling heat exchangers is connected to the cooling fluid inlet of the other cooling heat exchanger.

Disclosed is a refrigeration and/or liquefaction method using a system that includes a low-temperature refrigeration device comprising a working circuit which forms a loop and contains a working fluid, the working circuit forming a cycle comprising, connected in series: a compression mechanism, a cooling mechanism, an expansion mechanism and a heating mechanism the refrigeration device further comprising a cooling exchanger for extracting heat from the useful fluid stream by exchanging heat with the working fluid flowing in the working circuit, the system comprising a pipe through which the useful fluid stream flows in the cooling exchanger, the method comprising a cooling step in which the refrigeration device is in a first operating mode for cooling the cooling exchanger while a useful fluid stream flows in the cooling exchanger, the method comprising, after said cooling step, a step of cleaning impurities that have solidified in the cooling exchanger, characterized in that during the cleaning step, the refrigeration device is in a second operating mode in which the working gas flows in the working circuit but in which the cooling exchanger cools less intensely than in the first operating mode.

The invention relates to a method for cooling and/or liquefying a user fluid flow the method using a cooling and/or liquefying system comprising a low-temperature refrigeration device, the refrigeration device comprising a working circuit forming a loop and containing a working fluid, the refrigeration device comprising a cooling exchanger intended to extract heat from the user fluid flow by heat exchange with the working fluid circulating in the working circuit, the working circuit forming a cycle comprising, in a series: a compression mechanism a cooling mechanism, an expansion mechanism, and a reheating mechanism, the system comprising a pipe for circulation of the user fluid flow to be cooled in heat exchange with the cooling exchanger of the refrigeration device, the method comprising a step of cooling a user fluid flow in the cooling exchanger and after this cooling step, a step of cleaning impurities solidified in the cooling exchanger, the cleaning step comprising stopping of the refrigeration device and simultaneously, circulation of a user fluid flow in the cooling exchanger.

A system is described herein for repurposing waste heat from a refrigeration cycle to improve the efficiency of the cycle and power electronic devices. The system may include a compressor, a turbine, an accumulator, a condenser, a throttle, and an evaporator. The accumulator may include a high-pressure chamber connected between the turbine and condenser, and a low-pressure chamber connected between the evaporator and the compressor. The high-pressure chamber may be segregated from the low-pressure chamber such that high-pressure refrigerant in the high-pressure chamber is prevented from mixing with low-pressure refrigerant in the low-pressure chamber. The high-pressure chamber and low-pressure chamber may be thermally coupled such that liquid refrigerant in the low-pressure chamber is vaporized by heat exchange with the high-pressure chamber. The turbine may power an electronic component of the refrigerator or may feed electricity back into a community grid power system.

The invention relates to an expansion unit for installation in a refrigerant circuit, including an expansion system having an subcooling unit for subcooling a mass flow of a refrigerant that is supplied to the expansion unit, having an expansion/compression unit including an expander stage and a compressor stage, having a branching point that splits off a subcooling mass flow from a total mass flow supplied to the expansion unit and that is connected to a supply conduit that guides the subcooling mass flow to an inlet of the subcooling unit, having an expansion member that expands the subcooling mass flow to a subcooling pressure, having a connection conduit that supplies the subcooling mass flow exiting from the subcooling unit to the compression stage, which for its part compresses the subcooling mass flow to a return high pressure, and having an electrically operated controller that detects an ambient temperature and/or a temperature of the mass flow of refrigerant that is supplied to the expansion unit and/or the expander stage, and in accordance with this temperature adjusts an inlet pressure of the expansion unit or the expansion/compression unit by controlling the subcooling mass flow using the expansion member that is electrically controlled by the controller.