An air conditioner having a freezing function includes an external device, an expansion valve, a condenser, a compressor, and an evaporator. The compressor, the condenser, the expansion valve, the external device, and the evaporator are sequentially connected to form a loop. The external device includes a capillary tube and a cut-off valve. The capillary tube is spirally disposed. The cut-off valve is connected in parallel to the capillary tube. A tube coupling is disposed at each of two ends of the capillary tube. The tube couplings are separately fixedly connected to a conduit extending from the expansion valve and a conduit extending from the evaporator. A spiral capillary tube is connected between an expansion valve and an evaporator in an air conditioner, so that the pressure of a liquid refrigerant is reduced when entering the capillary tube, thereby lowering the lowest refrigeration temperature to implement quick cooling.

Various embodiments of a multi-evaporator sealed vapor compression system for an appliance are provided. In one example aspect, a sealed system charged with a refrigerant fluid includes a single compressor and a first and second evaporator fluidly coupled in series. A flash tank is positioned between the evaporators. One or more valves are fluidly coupled with and positioned downstream of the flash tank and the second evaporator. The valves are operable to selectively switch the flow of refrigerant fluid between the two evaporators at a frequency such that the temperature rise in the evaporators is negligible. In another aspect, a sealed system charged with a refrigerant fluid includes a single compressor and a first and second evaporator fluidly coupled in parallel. One or more valves positioned upstream of the evaporators and one or more valves are positioned downstream of the evaporators for controlling the refrigerant flow through the sealed system.

A heat recovery variable-frequency multi-split heat pump system and a control method thereof. The system includes an outdoor unit and at least two indoor units. The system is a three-pipe heating recovery multi-split heat pump system designed on the basis of a four-way reversing valve, and one indoor unit thereof is provided with two electronic expansion valves and two heat exchangers so that any indoor unit in the system can operate independently under three working conditions of refrigeration, heating or heat recovery dehumidification. Under multi-split condition, the system can operate under six working conditions, namely, the full-refrigeration working condition, the full-heating working condition, the common-heat-recovery working condition, the common-heat-recovery-dehumidification working condition, the heat recovery dehumidification-refrigeration-combination working condition and the heat recovery dehumidification-heating-combination working condition. Under the heat recovery dehumidification condition, a lower outlet air temperature, during low-temperature dehumidification, is raised by means of heat removal of a condenser so as to achieve the purpose of dehumidification without temperature fall or temperature rise, so that the thermal comfort and efficiency of the system are improved, and the refrigerating capacity and heating capacity of the system are effectively improved.

A refrigeration system includes an evaporator, a condenser, a compressor, a capillary tube, and an expansion device. The compressor is configured to circulate a refrigerant between the evaporator and the condenser. The capillary tube is configured to receive the refrigerant from the condenser. The expansion device is configured to receive the refrigerant from the capillary tube and provide the refrigerant to the evaporator. The expansion device is adjustable to control a flow of the refrigerant through the capillary tube.

A refrigeration system includes an evaporator, a condenser, a compressor, a capillary tube, and an expansion device. The compressor is configured to circulate a refrigerant between the evaporator and the condenser. The capillary tube is configured to receive the refrigerant from the condenser. The expansion device is configured to receive the refrigerant from the capillary tube and provide the refrigerant to the evaporator. The expansion device is adjustable to control a flow of the refrigerant through the capillary tube.

A refrigerator includes a main body having a freezing chamber and a switchable chamber communicating with a refrigerating chamber through a duct, a compressor connected with a compressor suction path and a compressor discharging path, a condenser connected with the compressor discharging path and connected with a condenser discharging path, a switchable chamber evaporator, a freezing chamber evaporator connected with the switchable chamber evaporator through an evaporator connection path, a damper configured to control flow of cold air through the duct, a pair of switchable chamber capillary tubes connected with the switchable chamber evaporator, a bypass capillary tube connected with the evaporator connection path, a path switching device connected with the condenser discharging path, the pair of switchable chamber capillary tubes and the bypass capillary tube, and a controller for controlling the compressor, the damper and the path switching device.

A refrigeration system includes a compressor; a condenser; an expansion valve having a body with an expansion valve inlet and an expansion valve outlet; an evaporator all arranged in a refrigeration circuit; and a controller. The expansion valve body has a pathway comprising an inlet body capillary tube flow-connected to the expansion valve inlet, and an outlet body capillary tube flow-connected to the expansion valve outlet. The expansion valve comprises a solenoid operated valve element that is selectively positionable between the inlet body capillary tube outlet and the outlet body capillary tube inlet. The controller digitally controls the valve element to position the valve element either to allow flow through the pathway in an open position or to block flow through the pathway in a closed position.

A refrigerant circuit of a refrigeration device, such as a household refrigeration device, has the following connected in series between a pressure connection and a suction connection of a compressor: a condenser, a first throttle point, a first evaporator for cooling a first storage chamber, a second throttle point. At least one of the first and second throttle points are adjusted to control the pressure in the first evaporator. The refrigerant circuit has a first branch with the first throttle point, the first evaporator and the second throttle point, and at least one second branch, parallel to the first branch, in which a third throttle point, a second evaporator arranged in thermal contact with a second storage chamber and a fourth throttle point are connected in series. At least one of the third and fourth throttle points can be adjusted to control the pressure in the second evaporator.

A system for producing a cooled liquid and a heated liquid. Such a system may be embodied in the form of a unitary apparatus configured to dispense chilled water and near boiling water for human consumption. In one form, there is provided a system for heating and cooling a liquid, the system including: a liquid cooling unit having a heat output component, and a first liquid heater configured to hold and heat a liquid. The first liquid heater is configured to retain a first body of the liquid about the heat output component such that the liquid is heated, and furthermore that a temperature gradient is formed and maintained within the first body of the liquid.

An anti-clogging liquid dispersion system and method for an air conditioner or heat pump is disclosed. A tank holds an anti-clogging liquid. A pump or valve connected with the tank periodically supplies the liquid to a condensate drain pan or the outlet of an existing drain line located exteriorly of a structure. One or more sensors are provided to detect moisture, flooding and/or lack of condensate flow and, when so detected, a control circuit causes the liquid to be supplied to the condensate drain pan to prevent flooding of a condensate drain pan or to clear a clogged drain line of an air handler of the air conditioner or heat pump. An additional dose of the liquid can also be supplied at any time when an unacceptable amount of condensate moisture and/or a clogged drain line has been detected.