A refrigerated display case having a housing defining a temperature controlled space and a refrigeration system coupled to the housing is provided. The refrigeration system is configured to be operable to affect a temperature of the temperature controlled space. The refrigeration system includes an actuator, a controller, and a sensor. The controller is configured to continuously update a stored position of the actuator based on measurement of an electric current provided to the actuator, retrieve the stored position after a power failure, and restart control based on the stored position of the actuator. The sensor is configured to communicate with the controller.

A refrigeration system for a temperature-controlled storage device includes a refrigeration circuit that circulates a refrigerant, a separate cooling circuit that circulates a coolant, and a controller. The refrigeration circuit includes a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, and an evaporator. The cooling circuit includes a pump, a control valve, and a heat removing device in fluid communication with the condenser via the coolant. The controller is operatively coupled to the control valve and configured to identify a coolant temperature differential setpoint, monitor a temperature of the coolant provided to the condenser by the cooling circuit, calculate a coolant temperature differential based on the temperature of the coolant provided to the condenser, and operate the control valve to modulate a flow of the coolant through the condenser to drive the coolant temperature differential to the coolant temperature differential setpoint.

The present invention relates to a cooling device (1) comprising more than one cabinet (2, 102, 202) wherein items to be cooled are placed and which are positioned separately, a compressor (5) providing the cooling cycle to be performed, and more than one valve (6, 106, 206) providing the refrigerant pumped from the compressor (5) to be determined, to which cabinet (2, 102, 202) and in which amount it will be directed.

A refrigeration system includes an evaporator within which a refrigerant absorbs heat, a gas cooler/condenser within which the refrigerant rejects heat, a compressor operable to circulate the refrigerant between the evaporator and the gas cooler/condenser, a high pressure valve operable to control a pressure of the refrigerant at an outlet of the gas cooler/condenser, and a controller. The controller is configured to automatically generate a setpoint for a measured or calculated variable of the refrigeration system based on a measured temperature of the refrigerant at the outlet of the gas cooler/condenser. The setpoint is generated using a stored relationship between the measured temperature and a maximum estimated coefficient of performance (COP) that can be achieved at the measured temperature. The controller is configured to operate the high pressure valve to drive the measured or calculated variable toward the setpoint.

A refrigeration system includes an evaporator within which a refrigerant absorbs heat, a gas cooler/condenser within which the refrigerant rejects heat, a compressor operable to circulate the refrigerant between the evaporator and the gas cooler/condenser, a high pressure valve operable to control a pressure of the refrigerant at an outlet of the gas cooler/condenser, and a controller. The controller is configured to automatically generate a setpoint for a measured or calculated variable of the refrigeration system based on a measured temperature of the refrigerant at the outlet of the gas cooler/condenser. The setpoint is generated using a stored relationship between the measured temperature and a maximum estimated coefficient of performance (COP) that can be achieved at the measured temperature. The controller is configured to operate the high pressure valve to drive the measured or calculated variable toward the setpoint.

Systems and methods are provided and include first and second case controllers for first and second refrigeration cases. The first case controller receives a first air temperature value of the first refrigeration case and communicates the first air temperature value to the second case controller. The second case controller receives a second air temperature value, determine an evaporator saturated suction temperature (SST) value, controls an evaporator pressure regulator based on a comparison of the evaporator SST value with an evaporator SST setpoint, determines an air temperature control value, determines whether the air temperature control value is within a predetermined range of an air temperature setpoint, and adjusts the evaporator SST setpoint in response to the air temperature control value being outside of the predetermined range of the air temperature setpoint.

A refrigeration system includes a refrigeration circuit and a coolant circuit separate from the refrigeration circuit. The refrigerant circuit includes a gas cooler/condenser, a receiver, and an evaporator. The coolant circuit includes a heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from a refrigerant circulating within the refrigeration circuit into a coolant circulating within the coolant circuit, a heat sink configured to remove heat from the coolant circulating within the coolant circuit, and a magnetocaloric conditioning unit configured to transfer heat from the coolant within a first fluid conduit of the coolant circuit into the coolant within a second fluid conduit of the coolant circuit. The first fluid conduit connects an outlet of the heat exchanger to an inlet of the heat sink, whereas the second fluid conduit connects an outlet of the heat sink to an inlet of the heat exchanger.

The invention relates to a method of operating at least one distributed energy resource comprising a refrigeration system (1) with a number of cooling entities, wherein a power consumption information is communicated to a smart-grid setup (SG). According to the invention the method comprises the steps of: requesting (S0) a power consumption information from the refrigeration system; transmitting (S1) the power consumption information from the refrigeration system (1), wherein a total amount of power consumption (Pmin, Pmax) of the refrigeration system (1) is provided; wherein: a cooling capacity (dQ/dt_i) of at least one cooling entity is determined wherein an entity operation condition (CE) of the cooling entity (E1, E2) is taken into account (D1); a power consumption (W_i) of at least one cooling entity (E1, E2) is determined from the cooling capacity (dQ/dt_i) wherein a performance estimation (COP) of a refrigeration cycle for the cooling entity (E1, E2) is taken into account (D2); providing (D3) the total amount of power consumption (Pmin, Pmax) as a sum of power consumptions (W_i) of at least the one cooling entity of the number of cooling entities (E1, E2), in particular as a sum of relevant power consumptions of the number of cooling entities (E1, E2); receiving (S2) at the refrigeration system (1) a power reference (Wref) from the smart-grid setup (SG). The method presented enables power control of a centralized refrigeration system in a smart-grid setup where an aggregator provides the power reference. In addition, the method also enables the refrigeration system to improve determining flexibility margins beyond absolute max./min values of nominal and zero.

A modular refrigeration system includes a refrigeration loop having a compressor, a condenser, an expansion assembly, and a chiller interconnected by a first piping loop cycling hydrocarbon refrigerant. A high side cooling loop includes a first heat exchanger and a first pump interconnected with the condenser by a second piping loop cycling a cooling fluid, the cooling fluid exchanges heat with the hydrocarbon refrigerant at the condenser. A low side cooling loop includes a second heat exchanger and a second pump interconnected with the chiller by a third piping loop cycling a chilled fluid, the chilled fluid exchanges heat with the hydrocarbon refrigerant at the chiller. A space supports the second heat exchanger and is configured to be maintained within a predetermined temperature range, wherein the total charge of hydrocarbon refrigerant associated with the space does not exceed 150 grams.

A refrigeration system includes a refrigeration circuit and a coolant circuit separate from the refrigeration circuit. The refrigerant circuit includes a gas cooler/condenser, a receiver, and an evaporator. The coolant circuit includes a heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from a refrigerant circulating within the refrigeration circuit into a coolant circulating within the coolant circuit, a heat sink configured to remove heat from the coolant circulating within the coolant circuit, and a magnetocaloric conditioning unit configured to transfer heat from the coolant within a first fluid conduit of the coolant circuit into the coolant within a second fluid conduit of the coolant circuit. The first fluid conduit connects an outlet of the heat exchanger to an inlet of the heat sink, whereas the second fluid conduit connects an outlet of the heat sink to an inlet of the heat exchanger.