The present invention provides a vapor injection module including a first expansion means configured to block a flow of a condensed refrigerant or expand the condensed refrigerant and transmit the refrigerant to a gas-liquid separator in accordance with an air conditioning mode, the gas-liquid separator configured to receive the refrigerant from the first expansion means and separate the refrigerant into a gaseous refrigerant and a liquid refrigerant, and a second expansion means configured to allow the condensed refrigerant to pass therethrough, expand the condensed refrigerant, or expand the liquid refrigerant separated in the gas-liquid separator in accordance with the air conditioning mode.

An air-conditioning apparatus includes a low-pressure-side pressure sensor that detects the pressure of heat-source-side refrigerant that flows into a compressor and outputs it as a first detection value and a high-pressure-side pressure sensor that detects the pressure of heat-source-side refrigerant discharged from the compressor and outputs it as a second detection value. When switching the operation mode of the apparatus, a controller determines whether the ratio of the first detection value to the second detection value is higher than a first threshold. When the ratio is higher than the threshold, the controller causes a second refrigerant flow switching device to perform a switching operation. When the ratio is less than or equal to the threshold, the controller makes an adjustment such that an opening degree of an expansion device is less than a second threshold, and then causes the second refrigerant flow switching device to perform the switching operation.

Provided is a chiller and system that may be utilized in a supercritical fluid chromatography method, wherein a non-polar solvent may replace a portion or all of a polar solvent for the purpose of separating or extracting desired sample molecules from a combined sample/solvent stream. The system may reduce the amount of polar solvent necessary for chromatographic separation and/or extraction of desired samples. The system may incorporate a supercritical fluid chiller, a supercritical fluid pressure-equalizing vessel and a supercritical fluid cyclonic separator. The supercritical fluid chiller allows for efficient and consistent pumping of liquid-phase gases employing off-the-shelf HPLC pumps. The pressure equalizing vessel allows the use of off-the-shelf HPLC column cartridges. The system may further incorporate the use of one or more disposable cartridges containing silica gel or other suitable medium. The system may also utilize an open loop cooling circuit using fluids with a positive Joule-Thompson coefficient.

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.

Provided is a gas-liquid separator, including a connection pipe connected to a refrigerant pipe in the evaporator, the refrigerant pipe in which a two-phase refrigerant flows, a header connected to the connection pipe, wherein a gas refrigerant separated from the two-phase refrigerant flows inside the header, a bypass pipe connected to the header to guide a flow of the gas refrigerant to a compressor, a flow rate control valve installed at the bypass pipe, and a controller configured to control opening and closing of the flow rate control valve based on whether a preset condition is satisfied.

A refrigeration apparatus includes a heat source-side unit and a utilization-side unit that are connected to each other, and performs a refrigeration cycle in which a high pressure of a refrigerant reaches or exceeds a critical pressure. The refrigeration apparatus also includes a control unit configured to perform a first action of returning the refrigerant to the heat source-side unit when a stop condition of the utilization-side unit is satisfied, and a second action of prohibiting the first action when a pressure at the heat source-side unit is equal to or more than the critical pressure of the refrigerant. This configuration suppresses damage to a refrigerant storage reservoir and the like in returning the refrigerant to the heat source-side unit.

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 thermal management system for a vehicle includes a base circuit in which a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator are provided in order and in which a refrigerant is circulated, a recirculation circuit branched from a discharge portion of the compressor in the base circuit and joined to an inlet portion of the compressor so that the refrigerant discharged from the compressor is recirculated to an inlet of the compressor, and an adjusting valve positioned at the discharge portion where the recirculation circuit is branched from the base circuit or positioned at the inlet portion where the recirculation circuit is joined to the base circuit, the adjusting valve configured to adjust a flow rate of the refrigerant that flows to the recirculation circuit.

A method for controlling a vapour compression system, in particular an opening degree of an expansion valve. According to a first control strategy, the expansion valve is closed until the superheat value has increased above a lower threshold superheat value. According to a second control strategy, the expansion valve is kept open until the suction pressure has increased above a lower threshold suction pressure value. In the case of low superheat value as well as low suction pressure, the second control strategy is selected for a limited period of time.

A vapor compression system includes a compressor, a first heat exchanger, an expansion valve and a second heat exchanger arranged serial refrigerant flow path; a first fan configured to direct air over the first heat exchanger; a controller coupled to the first fan and the compressor, the controller configured to: set a compressor discharge superheat limit; determine a compressor discharge superheat; compare the compressor discharge superheat to the compressor discharge superheat limit; and when the compressor discharge superheat is less than the compressor discharge superheat limit, the controller reducing at least one of a compressor speed and a first fan speed.