The present invention provides a vapor injection module including a first expansion means having an inlet port into which a refrigerant is introduced, and first line and second line connected to the inlet port so that the introduced refrigerant flows therethrough, the first expansion means being disposed at a connection portion between the first line and the second line and configured to control a flow direction of the refrigerant and whether to expand the refrigerant depending on an air conditioning mode, a gas-liquid separator connected to the first line and configured to separate the introduced refrigerant into a liquid refrigerant and a gaseous refrigerant, a second expansion means connected to a movement passage through which the liquid refrigerant separated in the gas-liquid separator flows, the second expansion means being configured to expand the introduced refrigerant, and a first outlet port connected to the second line and the second expansion means.

An integrated system floods an air conditioning low side heat exchanger such that the air conditioning low side heat exchanger does not evaporate all the liquid refrigerant entering the air conditioning low side heat exchanger. As a result, both liquid and vapor refrigerant leave the air conditioning low side heat exchanger. The system includes an additional receiver that stores the refrigerant leaving the air conditioning low side heat exchanger. To prevent the liquid refrigerant in the receiver from overflowing, the liquid refrigerant in the receiver is used in a refrigeration system when the level of liquid refrigerant in the receiver exceeds a threshold (e.g., as detected by a sensor in the receiver).

An integrated system floods an air conditioning low side heat exchanger such that the air conditioning low side heat exchanger does not evaporate all the liquid refrigerant entering the air conditioning low side heat exchanger. As a result, both liquid and vapor refrigerant leave the air conditioning low side heat exchanger. The system includes an additional receiver that stores the refrigerant leaving the air conditioning low side heat exchanger. To prevent the liquid refrigerant in the receiver from overflowing, the liquid refrigerant in the receiver is used in a refrigeration system when the level of liquid refrigerant in the receiver exceeds a threshold (e.g., as detected by a sensor in the receiver).

A Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system that is configured to receive a refrigerant from a condenser at a fixed expansion device and a variable expansion device. The system is further configured to output a first portion of the refrigerant to a first downstream HVAC component at a fixed flow rate using the fixed expansion device. The system is further configured to sense a temperature of an evaporator using a sensing bulb and to apply a first force to a pin of the variable expansion device based on the sensed temperature. The system is further configured to apply a second force to a valve of the variable expansion device via the force applied to the pin and to output a second portion of the refrigerant to a second downstream HVAC component at a variable flow rate based on the second force using the valve of the variable expansion device.

A Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system that is configured to receive a refrigerant from a condenser at a fixed expansion device and a variable expansion device. The system is further configured to output a first portion of the refrigerant to a first downstream HVAC component at a fixed flow rate using the fixed expansion device. The system is further configured to sense a temperature of an evaporator using a sensing bulb and to apply a first force to a pin of the variable expansion device based on the sensed temperature. The system is further configured to apply a second force to a valve of the variable expansion device via the force applied to the pin and to output a second portion of the refrigerant to a second downstream HVAC component at a variable flow rate based on the second force using the valve of the variable expansion device.

The invention relates to a valve (1, 1a), in particular an expansion valve, for controlling fluid flow, having a valve central housing (10, 10a) having a first and a second opening (12, 12a, 14, 14a) and a valve element (20, 20a) which has a rotationally symmetrical outline and is arranged rotatably within the valve element housing (10, 10a). According to the invention, the valve element (20, 20a) has a cut-out, wherein the cut-out (30, 30a, 30b, 30c) has a variable dimension, and a sub region (32, 32a) of the cutout (30, 30a, 30b, 30c) is formed continuously through the valve element (20, 20a).

The invention relates to a valve (1, 1a), in particular an expansion valve, for controlling fluid flow, having a valve central housing (10, 10a) having a first and a second opening (12, 12a, 14, 14a) and a valve element (20, 20a) which has a rotationally symmetrical outline and is arranged rotatably within the valve element housing (10, 10a). According to the invention, the valve element (20, 20a) has a cut-out, wherein the cut-out (30, 30a, 30b, 30c) has a variable dimension, and a sub region (32, 32a) of the cutout (30, 30a, 30b, 30c) is formed continuously through the valve element (20, 20a).

A heat exchanger includes heat exchange fins, refrigerant pipes are arranged across the heat exchange fins, and connecting pipes connected to the refrigerant pipes to thereby define refrigerant passages. The connecting pipes include a first pipe portion having a first end connected to one of the refrigerant pipes, a branch pipe portion that is branched from the first pipe portion, that extends parallel to the first pipe portion, and that is connected to another of the refrigerant passages, and a second pipe that is connected to the first pipe portion and that is configured to guide gas-phase refrigerant separated from the refrigerant in the first pipe portion. The second pipe includes an inner insert portion inserted into a second end of the first pipe portion and an outlet portion that extends from the inner insert portion in direction opposite to the second end of the first pipe portion.

A method of operating a refrigeration system. The method includes operating a multi-temperature refrigeration system that has a plurality of heat absorption heat exchangers in a single temperature mode. A number of the plurality of heat absorption heat exchangers are determined that require defrosting a single heat absorption heat exchanger is directed into a different operational state when the number of heat absorption heat exchangers that require defrosting is equal to one. E of the plurality of heat absorption heat exchangers is directed into a defrost mode when the number of heat absorption heat exchangers that requires defrosting is more than one.

An air-conditioning apparatus includes a selection unit and a determination unit, the selection unit selecting a reverse-defrosting operation mode or a heating-defrosting simultaneous operation mode, the reverse-defrosting operation mode being a mode in which all of parallel heat exchangers are defrosted by stopping a heating operation, the heating-defrosting simultaneous operation mode being a mode in which each parallel heat exchanger is sequentially defrosted while continuing a heating operation, the determination unit determining whether or not a defrosting operation is to be started, in which the determination unit is configured to start the defrosting operation in a state where the amount of frost deposited on the parallel heat exchangers is smaller in a case where the heating-defrosting simultaneous operation mode is selected than in a case where the reverse-defrosting operation is selected.